Leadership for Healthy Communities Presents:
"Building a Bridge to Policy Action"
May 7-8, 2009
Washington, DC
 Leadership for Healthy Communities (LHC), a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), will be hosting a national childhood obesity prevention summit on May 7-8, 2009, in Washington, DC at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. The summit's theme is "Building a Bridge to Policy Action."
View the full two-day summit agenda: Leadership for Healthy Communities' 2009 Childhood Obesity Prevention Summit Agenda.
Why this Summit is Important: America is in danger of raising the first generation of children who will live sicker and die younger than the generation before them. During the past four decades, obesity rates have soared among all age groups, increasing more than four times among children ages 6 to 11. Furthermore, obesity poses a tremendous financial threat to our already ailing economy. Researchers estimate the epidemic costs our nation $117 billion annually in direct medical expenses and indirect costs, including lost productivity and absenteeism. In addition, obesity-related illnesses disproportionately affect African-American, Latino, Native American, Asian American and Pacific Islander children living in low-income communities.
The event will call on policy leaders nationwide to advance healthy eating and active living options in their communities. Special emphasis will be placed on collaborative state and community policy approaches that address childhood obesity among vulnerable populations disproportionately affected by the epidemic.
Speakers and panelists will include RWJF President Risa Lavizzo-Mourey and representatives from states, cities, counties, towns and school districts, who will present and share their innovative work in building healthier communities for children and their families. Policy-makers at all levels of government will participate, including members of leading policy-maker organizations who are Grantees of Leadership for Healthy Communities.
Summit Objectives
- Facilitate learning and cross-disciplinary collaboration among diverse officials and advocates;
- Stimulate mobilization around innovative action strategies that can help curb childhood obesity;
- Highlight promising policies and programs in the states;
- Support the sharing of policy relevant research; and
- Spotlight action strategies that help vulnerable populations.
More information on speakers and panelists will be coming soon. The information below is a summary of the Summit's panels, workshops, luncheon and awards ceremony. Registration to the Summit is by invitation only.
Awards Dinner
In this historic gathering, Leadership for Healthy Communities (LHC) will present its first Healthy Communities Leadership Award to policy-makers who have made extraordinary contributions to healthy eating, active living and childhood obesity prevention in their communities. In addition, LHC will also present awards to policy-makers who have demonstrated a strong commitment in those areas. RWJF President Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A. will deliver a keynote address.
Panels
The Federal Agenda: What are the Opportunities for Healthy Communities?
This panel will discuss the implications of federal legislation on healthy communities. The goal of this session is to educate attendees about federal legislation and administration efforts that have implications for childhood obesity prevention and healthy communities. Specifically, the panel will address implications of the SAFETEA-LU, No Child Left Behind, Child Nutrition and WIC and SCHIP reauthorizations, health reform, and the economic stimulus package as they relate to healthy communities and assess strategic opportunities for childhood obesity prevention through these vehicles.
The Economic Benefits of Healthy CommunitiesCreating healthy communities not only has health benefits, but economic benefits, as well. This panel explores the cost effectiveness of chronic disease prevention and the economic benefits of increasing opportunities for physical activity and access to healthy foods in communities. Panelists will discuss the costs of chronic diseases caused by obesity, the potential cost savings of increased prevention and the cost effectiveness of policies and community-based programs that increase healthy eating and active living. Panelists will also highlight the economic benefits of investing in sidewalks, bike paths, parks and improved public transportation options, which increase opportunities for physical activity and make communities more desirable places to live.
Linking Efforts: Innovative Partnerships to Advance Policies Supporting Healthy Communities and Healthy KidsAcross the country, policy-makers and community leaders are collaborating to advance child health. This panel will highlight innovative partnerships that have enabled communities to create healthy environments and will demonstrate how partnerships are developed and maintained to create healthy communities. Policy-makers and their collaborators will illustrate how they have successfully worked across government agencies, levels of government, and the public and private sectors. They will also share the steps they have taken to leverage resources, cultivate sustainability and evaluate outcomes.
Workshops
Promoting Healthy, Active Environments: What Policy-makers Can DoThis interactive workshop will highlight strategies for redesigning the built environment that have proven to be successful in promoting or increasing physical activity and healthy eating in communities. Topics for discussion will include policy-makers' roles in increasing funding opportunities, transportation options, Safe Routes to Schools, community partnerships and public health approaches to land use planning.
Childhood Obesity in Rural Communities: Essential Tools for Policy-makers to Increase Access to Healthy Foods and Opportunties for Physical ActivityRural residents may be geographically isolated from supermarkets, recreational facilities and schools. As a consequence, they are more likely to be obese than those who live closer to these facilities. Limited financial resources can also constrain access to healthy foods and physical activity opportunities in rural communities. Through peer-to-peer learning, this interactive workshop will provide leaders with an opportunity to explore innovative and cost-effective ways to create healthier environments for children and families. Topics include infrastructure enhancements and policies that have been proven effective in increasing access to affordable healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity in rural communities.
Childhood Obesity in Racial/Ethnic Communities: Steps Policy-makers Can Take to Reduce Disparities
Children in Latino, African-American, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander communities are more likely to be obese than white children. This session will explore the socioeconomic, cultural and built environment factors that influence healthy eating and active living in these communities. Participants will discuss promising practices and effective policy approaches for advancing healthy eating and active living in racial/ethnic minority communities.
The Social Environment: What Policy-makers Can Do to Influence Healthy Behavior
Children who live in neighborhoods with few opportunities to safely engage in physical activity, limited access to healthy foods and many unhealthy food venues and advertisements are more likely to be overweight or obese than children who live in healthier environments. This workshop will not only explore the ways in which the social environment can promote unhealthy behaviors, but will also provide a platform for local, state and school policy-makers to share effective policy approaches. Topics include improving access to healthy foods and physical activity in schools and communities, city-school and state-local collaborations to develop healthier and safer neighborhoods, food and beverage marketing to children in schools and communities, and the socio-cultural and socioeconomic factors that influence healthy behaviors.
Action Strategies for Healthy Communities Breakfast
The focus of this breakfast is to launch the "Healthy Communities Leadership Compact" and a companion "Action Strategies for Healthy Communities Toolkit." The Compact represents an agreement among participating organizations to work together to create healthy environments and the toolkit provides policy-makers at every level of government with policy and program strategies that they can implement to advance this goal.
Through the Eyes of Youth: Healthy Eating, Active Living and Public Policy Luncheon
It is difficult for children to stay healthy when they are surrounded by vending machines selling unhealthy products, junk food advertisements and a lack of safe places to play. In this luncheon, we hear from youth, researchers and policy-makers about what policies and programs have been created to support the health of children, families and communities. Panelists will highlight how youth and youth-focused research can help inform policies and programs.
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