GOVERNMENT PRACTICES

ENACT STRATEGY: Training Legislators
Provide training on factors that impact eating and activity to:

• Internal health/public health staff
• Key government agencies and elected officials
• Community based organizations

Governments have demonstrated and “declared their support of efforts to maintain and improve America’s health.” What people eat and whether or not they are active is more than a matter of individual responsibility. Issues of governmental concern such as community design, neighborhood safety, and access to affordable fresh foods and quality health care influence activity and eating patterns. Through training and information dissemination, government raises awareness about health risks and shapes opinions about the best way to alter poor eating and sedentary lifestyles. By raising public and professional understanding of the community-level barriers and solutions to support healthy eating and activity, government can play a leadership role in building support for public policies that transform neighborhoods.

Government actions can include:

• Ensuring all health/public health staff is trained and knowledgeable about factors that impact eating and activity (e.g., community walkability, food access, school food). Incorporating training opportunities into the work of public health employees.
• Reviewing existing trainings that staff use with community members and ensuring that multiple causes of unhealthy eating and inactivity are explored.
• Training other key agencies, elected officials and their staff about ways to prevent poor eating and inactivity that go beyond providing messages of individual responsibility.
• Providing training and outreach to community organizations about the role of the environment. Ensuring that CBO’s that provide services in low-income communities understand the need to address community barriers and advocate for solutions.

Tools

California Nutrition Network
GIS Map Viewer is a valuable, internet-based tool, which accesses nutrition and other health related data based on geographical restrictions.

Organizations and Coalitions

The California Nutrition Network is dedicated to creating innovative partnerships so that low-income Californians are enabled to adopt healthy eating and physical activity patterns as part of a healthy lifestyle. The Network develops its broad-based social marketing campaign through efforts including partnership and resource development, research and evaluation, media and retail, community interventions/development, policy, environmental and systems change, and children’s nutrition and physical activity.

Leadership for Active Living
This national initiative works with government leaders, policy makers and local leaders to create and promote active living communities. Active living communities encourage residents to be more physically active through pedestrian and bicycle oriented design and planning.

Local Government Commission
The Local Government Commission (LGC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership organization that provides inspiration, technical assistance, and networking to local elected officials and other dedicated community leaders who are working to create healthy, walkable, and resource-efficient communities.