In 2001, the Washington State Department of Health was awarded
funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
to develop a program aimed at the promotion of nutrition and physical
activity for the prevention of chronic disease and obesity.
To
build and enhance statewide capacity building efforts, DOH formed
the Nutrition and Physical Activity Advisory Group (NPAAG). This
group consisted of nutrition and physical activity professionals
and representatives from potential collaborating agencies, organizations,
and health systems.
Together,
the NPAAG conducted formative research, identified target populations,
defined data sources, and identified specific strategies in the
process of developing the Washington State Nutrition and Physical
Activity Plan. The State Plan,
takes an environment and policy approach to the prevention of
obesity and chronic disease using nutrition and physical activity.
This edition addresses the outer rings of the social-ecological
model.
In
2002, the City of Moses Lake was selected
as the first community to pilot concepts outlined in the State
Plan. With additional funding from the CDC in 2003, DOH selected
a second pilot community, the City of Mount
Vernon.
