Childhood Obesity Declines Project: An Effort of the National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research to Explore Progress in Four Communities

Abstract

Background: Recent findings show that national childhood obesity prevalence overall is improving among some age groups, but that disparities continue to persist, particularly among populations that have historically been at higher risk of obesity and overweight. Over the past several years, many jurisdictions at the city or county level across the nation have also reported declines. Little evaluation has focused on understanding the factors that influence the implementation of efforts to reduce childhood obesity rates. This article summarizes the rationale, aims, and overall design of the Childhood Obesity Declines Project (COBD), which was the first of its kind to systematically study and document the what, how, when, and where of community-based obesity strategies in four distinct communities across the nation. Methods: COBD was initiated by the National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research (NCCOR), was led by a subset of NCCOR advisors and a research team at ICF, and was guided by external advisors made up of researchers, decision makers, and other key stakeholders. The research team used an adapted version of the Systematic Screening and Assessment method to review and collect retrospective implementation data in four communities. Results: COBD found that sites implemented strategies across the many levels and environments that impact children's well being (akin to the social-ecological framework), building a Culture of Health in their communities. Conclusions: COBD demonstrates how collaboratives of major funders with the support of other experts and key stakeholders, can help to accelerate progress in identifying and disseminating strategies that promote healthy eating and physical activity.