Policy & Environmental Change Resources

Nutrition and Physical Activity Policy & Legislation

• CDC Nutrition and Physical Activity Legislative Database
  Web-based database of nutrition and physical activity related bills and legislation. Search parameters include state, year, topic, bill status, and text.
• Nutrition Policy Profiles
  Prevention Institute's collection of nutrition policies and model practices. (2002)
• Environmental and Nutrition Activity Community Tool (ENACT)
  Web-based planning and assessment resource guide developed by the Strategic Alliance for Healthy Food and Activity Environments. It can be used by communities to improve their nutrition and physical activity environments.
• Nutrition and Physical Activity: A Policy Resource Guide (PDF)
  Guide developed by the Washington State Department of Health, Office of Community Wellness and Prevention. (February 2005)
• Washington State Department of Health, Nutrition and Physical Activity Policy Leadership Group Web Page
  The NPA-PLG is a Washington State-based collaborative partnership formed to facilitate, coordinate, and support the development, adoption, and implementation of a comprehensive, integrated and aligned set of state, regional, local, and private-sector policies that make it easier for people to choose to be physically active and to eat healthy foods.

Community Nutrition and Physical Activity

• Active Living and Health - International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
  As a partner in the Active Living Leadership initiative, ICMA supports government leaders as they create and promote policies, programs and places that enable active living and healthy eating at the local level.
  • Blueprint for Action: Developing Livable Communities for All Ages (2007)
  • Community Health and Food Access: A Role for Local Government (2006)
  • Health and Community Design: The Local Government Role in Promoting
    Active Living (2006)
• Food Policy Council Resources
  A collection of resources compiled by Washington State University King County Extension (2006)

School Nutrition & Physical Activity

• Healthy Schools in Washington Web Site
  The Healthy Schools in Washington Web site provides tools and resources, such as example programs, model policies, background data and reports, for students, parents, school officials and community members.
• National Center for Safe Routes to School
  The Center offers a centralized resource of information on how to start and sustain a Safe Routes to School program, case studies of successful programs as well as many other resources for training and technical assistance.
• Childhood Nutrition and Physical Activity in the Schools: Background Briefing and
  Inventory of Major School Nutrition and Physical Activity Programs and Initiatives
  Briefing Papers developed for a Safe Table Forum - Food and Fitness in Our Schools: Policies, Challenges, and Strategies for Improvement. (November 2003)
• School Health Index Assessment Tool
  The SHI is a Web-based self-assessment and planning tool developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that schools can use to improve their health and safety policies and programs.
• Resolution 02-03 - Calling Upon School Officials to Partner with Public Health Officials to Improve Student Diets, Dietary Messages and Levels of Physical Activity
  Resolution developed by the Washington State Public Health Association
• School Meal Programs: Competitive Foods Are Available in Many Schools (PDF)
  Report by the U.S. General Accounting Office. (April 2004)
• Food Choices at School: Risks to Child Nutrition and Health (PDF)
  Report prepared by the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (May 2004)

Maternal and Child Nutrition

• Maternal and Child Nutrition Training Website
  This collaborative website of the MCH Training Grantee Network provides access to obesity, maternal and child nutrition, and public health nutrition resources. The site also serves as a clearinghouse for MCHB-funded Maternal and Child Nutrition programs to share and access news, events, and information.
• Active Bodies Active Minds Website
  The purpose of the Active Bodies Active Minds project is to ensure that environments for children ages 2-5 encourage minimum screen time and maximum physical activity. The website provides early childhood health and education professionals access to:
  
  • Background information about the importance of limiting screen time and encouraging physical activity for young children
  • Resources for limiting screen time and encouraging physical activity in child care.
  • Resources for limiting screen time and encouraging physical activity in homes

Hunger and Food Insecurity

• Obesity, Poverty, and Participation in Nutrition Assistance Programs (PDF)
  Report presents the conclusions of an expert panel convened by the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service to determine if there is scientific evidence of a relationship between nutrition assistance program participation and excess weight. (February 2005)
  

Urban Planning & Design

• Policy Guide on Community and Regional Food Planning
  Developed by the American Planning Association to provide policies and suggest specific roles for planners in supporting food systems. (April 2007)
• Public Health Law & Policy's Land Use and Health Project
  Works to engage public health advocates in the land-use decision-making process throughout California. Site include toolkitss for training advocates in the relationship between the built environment and public health.
  
• Promoting Public Health through Smart Growth (PDF)
  Building healthier communities through transportation and land use policies and practices Smart Growth BC, Vancouver, BC, Canada (April 2006)
• Community Guide: Physical Activity
  Systematic reviews of the effectiveness of selected population-based interventions designed to increase physical activity. Reviews of environmental and policy approaches:
  • Creation of or enhanced access to places for physical activity combined with informational outreach activities (Updated Nov 2005)
  • Street-scale urban design and land use policies and practices (Updated Jul 2006)
  • Community-scale urban design and land use policies and practices (Updated Jul 2006)
  • Transportation and travel policies and practices (Updated Jul 2006)
    
• Creating a Healthy Environment: The Impact of the Built Environment on Public Health (PDF)
  Monograph by Richard J. Jackson and Chris Kochtitzky developed for Sprawl Watch Clearinghouse. (2001)
• Policies to Make it Easy to Move: Promoting Health through Urban Planning
  This is a draft policy document developed by Donna Johnson, Caroline McNaughton Tittel and others based on a workshop, "The Interface of Urban Design, Public Health, & Physical Activity in Preventing Obesity." (2001)

Washington State Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan

• WA State Nutrition and Physical Activity State Plan: Policy and Environmental Approaches
  The Washington State Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan was launched in June 2003, to promote environmental and policy changes that encourage healthy eating and physical activity.
• Healthy Communities Toolkit
  The Healthy Communities Toolkit summarizes the lessons learned by the cities of Moses Lake and Mount Vernon as they mobilized their communities to create environments that make it easier for residents to be physically active and choose healthy foods. The toolkit contains the lessons learned in the planning phase, useful tools for gathering information from the community, sample evaluation tools, selected planning resources, and the end product: a community action plan.
• Partners in Action Web Site
  Partners in Action includes online quarterly updates on what organizations and communities in Washington State are doing to make it easier for citizens to choose healthful foods and to be physically active so that the purpose, goals and objectives of the State Plan are achieved.