WASHINGTON, D.C. – Funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that President Barack Obama recently signed into law can be used to support projects that curtail the childhood obesity epidemic, according to a policy brief that Leadership for Healthy Communities released to the public today.

Entitled Supporting Healthy Communities through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the policy brief highlights recovery act funds that can be used to increase access to healthy foods and safe places to walk, bike and play. All of the recommendations in the brief are supported by research and accompanied by examples of how similar funds have been used to create healthier environments.

“With nearly one in three children and adolescents overweight or obese, at a cost of $14 billion annually just in direct medical costs, it is more important than ever for policy-makers to use the stimulus funds to make every American community a healthier place to live,” said Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, Director of Leadership for Healthy Communities.
The law provides state and local policy-makers with an opportunity to encourage healthy behaviors by using funds that benefit the transportation, education, community development and crime prevention sectors for projects that also increase healthy eating and active living opportunities. For example, with $1 billion in community development block grant funding, states and localities can construct mixed-use developments that encourage walking and biking, provide incentives for new supermarkets, or finance farmers’ markets, community gardens or food banks.

The policy brief is now available on the Leadership for Healthy Communities Web site: www.leadershipforhealthycommunities.org.  Also available on the site is a short video public service announcement that makes the case why supporting healthy communities is so important.

Leadership for Healthy Communities is a $10-million national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation designed to support local and state government leaders nationwide in their efforts to reduce childhood obesity through public policies that promote active living, healthy eating and access to healthy foods. Eleven policy-maker associations who are grantees of the program will play a key role in distributing the information to more than 30,000 policy-makers nationwide. Grantees include the American Association of School Administrators, International City/County Management Association, Local Government Commission, Council of State Governments, National Association of Counties, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund, National Association of State Boards of Education, National Conference of State Legislatures, National League of Cities, National School Boards Association and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.