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HHS Program Resources

Healthy  Youth for a Healthy Future logo

These selected program resources from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services can help support overweight and obesity prevention activities at all levels.



Help Kids Stay Active

Being active isn’t all it takes to be healthy—you have to eat right and make healthy choices.

  1. President's Challenge Program
    Office of the Secretary, Office of Public Health and Science, President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (OS/OPHS/PCPFS)
    Web site: http://www.presidentschallenge.org/

    The President's Challenge is an awards program that encourages all Americans to make physical activity a part of their everyday lives. It motivates students and schools by recognizing students who achieve an outstanding level of physical fitness or who are regularly physically active. Schools can be recognized for their efforts to actively engage students to stay active by emphasizing physical activity and fitness.

  2. Kids Walk-to-School
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
    Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/kidswalk/index.htm

    The goals of Kids Walk-to-School are to encourage children to walk and bicycle to and from school; increase awareness of the importance of regular physical activity for children, improved pedestrian safety, and healthy and walkable community environments; and mobilize communities to work together to create safe routes to school.

  3. VERB™ It’s what you do.
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
    Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/youthcampaign/

    VERB™ It’s what you do. was a national, multicultural, social marketing program that encouraged children aged 9-13 to be physically active every day. The campaign ran from 2002-2006, and useful materials and research are available from CDC.

  4. I Am Moving, I Am Learning (IMIL)
    Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
    Web site: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/ecdh/Health/Nutrition/Nutrition%20Program%20Staff/IMIL/IamMovingIam.htm

    I Am Moving, I Am Learning (IMIL) is a proactive approach for addressing childhood obesity in Head Start children. IMIL seeks to increase moderate to vigorous physical activity every day, improve the quality of movement activities intentionally planned and facilitated by adults, and promote healthy food choices every day, and is sponsed by Adminstration for Children and Families.

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Encourage Healthy Eating Habits

Being healthy is more than eating right, and how active you are affects what you can eat.

  1. Spot the Block: Get Your Food Facts First
    Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
    Web site: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/spotov.html

    Spot the Block: Get Your Food Facts First educates tweens (ages 9-13) on how to use the nutrition facts label to make healthier food choices. The campaign is focused on encouraging tweens to use the label to make healthier food choices: (1) check out the serving size on the nutrition label, (2) consider the calories, and (3) choose nutrients wisely.

  2. Cooperative Program with the National Science Teachers Association
    Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
    Web site: http://www.nsta.org/pd/fda.aspx/ External Link Disclaimer

    The FDA and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) cooperative program is a school-based education program that includes using the nutrition facts label to teach children to make healthier food choices. The program provides teacher training -- half-day symposia are held at regional and national conventions of science teachers, along with Web-based seminars. Additional online education resources on nutrition are in development.

  3. Make Your Calories Count: Use the Nutrition Facts Label for Healthy Weight Management Interactive Web Program (Label-Man)
    Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
    Web site: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~ear/hwm/labelman.html

    Make Your Calories Count is an interactive learning program that provides consumers with information to help plan a healthful diet while managing calorie intake. The exercises will help consumers use the food label to make decisions about which food choices are right for them.

  4. Fruits and Veggies Matter
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
    Web site: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/

    Fruits and Veggies Matter is website that provides guidance on the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables, their benefits, the fruit and vegetable of the month calendar, and serving size examples. Also this site provides tips, recipes, interactive tools, questions and answers, recent publications, a section for health professionals, and partner websites for further information.

  5. Nutrition Resources for Health Professionals
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
    Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutrition/health_professionals/practice/index.htm

    Nutrition Resources for Health Professionals. The Weight Management Research to Practice Series is a designed to summarize the science on a weight management topic for health professionals and the lay audience. An overview of the science will be compiled into a summary document appropriate for public health professionals, including implications for practice. In addition, some installments in the series will be accompanied by a tool geared toward a lay audience, which can be used by health professionals in practice.

  6. MCH Nutrition: Maternal & Child Health Training
    Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
    Web site: http://mchb.hrsa.gov/training/projects.asp?program=12

    This initiative funds seven grants for Leadership Training in Maternal and Child Health Nutrition that focus on training public health nutritionists and other health disciplines. A focus of four of these nutrition grants is to train health providers in an interdisciplinary setting focusing on the prevention, assessment, and treatment of childhood overweight/obesity.

  7. Interventions in Childhood Overweight
    Indian Health Service (IHS)
    IHS Contact: Sara Lee Thomas, Portland Area RD, PO Box 1209, Warm Springs, OR 97761, 541-553-1196, or http://sthomas@wsp.portland.ihs.gov

    The goal of the Interventions in Childhood Overweight program is to prevent, slow, or reverse increased rates of childhood overweight in Warm Springs, OR, through Public Health Nutrition. It entails the tracking and reporting of rates of overweight and breastfeeding in Warm Springs from 1998 to the present. The target audience is the entire Warm Springs Community with specific interventions for the Early Childhood Education Center and Elementary School.

  8. Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) Services
    Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
    Web site: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicaidEarlyPeriodicScrn/

    The Medicaid (Title XIX) program works in partnership with state-run programs to prevent and treat childhood health conditions, such as obesity, through provision of Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) services. This comprehensive program enables states to assess children’s health needs through initial and periodic examinations and evaluations including an assessment of nutrition and weight.

  9. Body & Soul: A Celebration of Healthy Eating and Living
    Web site: http://www.bodyandsoul.nih.gov/

    Body & Soul: A Celebration of Healthy Eating and Living is a health program developed for African American churches. The program encourages church members to eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables every day for better health.

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Promote Healthy Choices

Being active and eating right are terrific, and there is so much more you can do to make the healthiest choices.

  1. I Am Moving, I Am Learning
    Agency for Children and Families (ACF)
    Web site: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/region3/

    I Am Moving, I Am Learning arms multidisciplinary teams from local Head Start programs with the science of obesity prevention. The project provides grantees with strategies and resources for infusing quality physical movement and healthy nutrition choices within their familiar curriculum approaches and daily classroom routines. A key feature is the flexibility it affords programs to tailor and individualize strategies and activities to meet local program needs.

  2. We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition)
    National Institutes of Health (NIH)
    Web site: http://wecan.nhlbi.nih.gov

    The We Can! Program is a national public education outreach program designed to help children 8-13 years old maintain a healthy weight. We Can! focuses on parents and families in home and community settings with materials to encourage three behaviors: improved food choices, increased physical activity, and reduced screen time (such as at the television and/or computer). More than 600 community sites, national partners and supporting organizations are promoting the We Can! messages and materials in community centers, schools, work sites, clinics, hospitals, and other settings.

  3. Combating Childhood Obesity Educational DVDs
    Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
    Web site: http://www.ahrq.gov/child/dvdobesity.htm

    These interactive DVD programs were developed to teach children and their parents about smart eating and physical activity and to educate clinicians about the best ways to prevent and treat obesity in children.

    (1) Max’s Magical Delivery: Fit for Kids (Target audience-children)
    (2) Childhood Obesity: Combating the Epidemic (Target audience-clinicians)

    HHS and AHRQ worked in partnership with Discovery Networks, U.S., to develop the interactive DVD programs.

  4. State-Based Nutrition and Physical Activity Program to Prevent Obesity and Other Chronic Diseases
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
    Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/state_programs/index.htm

    The State-Based Nutrition and Physical Activity Program to Prevent Obesity and Other Chronic Diseases is working with 28 states to increase healthful eating and physical activity to prevent and control obesity and other chronic diseases by building and sustaining statewide capacity and implementing population based strategies and interventions. Efforts to address childhood overweight and obesity are implemented in day care, Head Start, after-school, school, health care, faith-based, worksites, and communities.

  5. Make a Difference at Your School: Key Strategies to Prevent Obesity
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
    Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/keystrategies/

    Make a Difference at Your School: Key Strategies to Prevent Obesity is part of CDC’s School Health Program and focuses on increasing physical activity and healthy eating among youth. The program offers useful tools that can be used at the state, district, and school level to guide schools in their obesity prevention efforts. These efforts include topics such as improving the nutritional quality of food and beverages sold at school and developing state-of-the-art health and physical education curricula.

    Childhood Overweight Fact Sheets. These fact sheets contain results from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and School Health Profiles (Profiles) related to childhood overweight. The YRBS results describe the problem by identifying the percent of high school students who are overweight, engage in unhealthy dietary behaviors, or are physically inactive. The Profiles results describe characteristics of health education, physical education, opportunities for physical activity, and the school environment among middle/junior and senior high schools that may help address the problem.

    BMI Measurements in Schools.
    http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/overweight/BMI/index.htm. Summarizes the recommendations of experts, identifies concerns surrounding programs, and outlines needs for future research. Guidance is provided on specific safeguards that need to be addressed before schools decide to collect BMI information.


  6. Bright Futures for Infants, Children, and Adolescent
    Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
    Web site: http://www.mchb.hrsa.gov/programs/training/brightfutures.htm

    Bright Futures is a national initiative to address the current and emerging health promotion and prevention needs of infants, children, and adolescents. The new edition of the guidelines includes “Promoting Healthy Weight” and “Promoting Healthy Nutrition” as core areas of focus.

  7. Bright Futures for Women’s Health and Wellness

    • My Bright Future: Physical Activity and Healthy Eating for Young Women
      Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
      Web site: http://www.hrsa.gov/womenshealth/mybrightfuture/menu.html

      The Bright Futures for Women’s Health and Wellness Initiative (BFWHW) is a program designed to encourage better health among women across their lifespan. BFWHW specifically designed physical activity and healthy eating tools to address the needs of adolescent girls aged 12-18. The goals of these BFWHW physical activity and healthy eating tools for adolescent girls are to increase their use of preventive services, empower them to share in health care decision-making, and encourage them to practice daily prevention through physical activity and healthy eating.

    • Innovative Approaches to Promoting a Healthy Weight in Women
      Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
      Web site: http://mchb.hrsa.gov/about/dhsps.htm

      In September 2004, HRSA began funding the Innovative Approaches to Promoting a Healthy Weight in Women grant program, specifically targeted at reproductive-age women. The program is for women in communities who have limited access to preventive health services and links them to other relevant services to comprehensively address their health needs. Strategies must include nutrition, physical activity, and health/wellness components.

  8. Pathways
    National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and Indian Health Service (IHS)
    Web site: http://hsc.unm.edu/pathways/introduc/introd.htm External Link Disclaimer

    Pathways was a research study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. It developed a school-based health promotion program that includes physical activity, nutrition, classroom curriculum, and family involvement. The primary purpose of the Pathways project is to prevent obesity among American Indian children by promoting increased physical activity and healthful eating behaviors.

  9. Demonstration Project for Healthy Lifestyles in Youth
    Indian Health Service (IHS)
    IHS Contact: Leeanna Travis, Indian Health Service, 1700 Cerrillos Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87505, (505) 946-9541 or Leeanna.travis@ihs.gov

    This initiative promotes healthy lifestyles among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth using the curriculum “Together Raising Awareness for Indian Life” (TRAIL) at selected Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) sites. Clubs that develop a health promotion program that includes the TRAIL curriculum may curtail the effects of unhealthy eating behaviors and lack of physical activity that can lead to obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases later in life.

  10. I Can Do It, You Can Do It
    Office of the Secretary, Office on Disability (OS/OPHS/OD)
    Web site: http://www.hhs.gov/od/physicalfitness.html

    The I Can Do It, You Can Do It program is focused on increasing physical fitness in children and youth with disabilities. It addresses increased physical activity and good nutritional practices, utilizing an organized and standardized mentor/mentee model. The program goal is to reduce overweight and obesity in children and adults with disabilities. It links physically fit adults with children with disabilities who plan and implement an 8-week program of increased activity and practice in good nutrition each day.

  11. Body Works: A Toolkit for Healthy Girls and Strong Women
    Office of the Secretary, Office of Public Health and Science, Office on Women’s Health (OS/OPHS/OWH)
    Web site: http://www.womenshealth.gov/bodyworks/

    Body Works is a program designed to help parents and caregivers of young adolescent girls (ages 9 to 13, also referred to as “tweens”) improve family eating and activity habits. The program focuses on parents as role models and provides them with hands-on tools to make small, specific behavior changes to prevent obesity and help maintain a healthy weight. It uses a train-the-trainer model to distribute the Body Works Toolkit through community-based organizations, state health agencies, non-profit organizations, health clinics, hospitals and health care systems.

  12. For Your Life!
    Office of the Secretary, Office of Public Health and Science, Office of Minority Health (OS/OPHS/OMH)
    Web site: http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=3966

    The For Your Life! project is a community-based educational, screening and outreach project designed to impact the prevalence and onset of diabetes, and obesity and overweight. The project is carried out in collaboration with members of the Health Education Consortium of Alabama.

  13. National Head Start Center for Physical Development and Outdoor Play
    Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
    Grant announcement: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS-2008-ACF-OHS-YD-0025.html

    The National Head Start Center for Physical Development and Outdoor Play will help Head Start programs evaluate their playgrounds, and educate children and their families about the value of healthy food and structured physical activity.

  14. Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health Across the U.S. (REACH U.S.)
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
    Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/reach/

    Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health Across the U.S. (REACH U.S.) is a national program, comprised of 40 grantee partners across the United States. REACH is an important cornerstone to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities in the United States. These funded partners focus on eliminating health disparities in one or more of the following health priority areas: breast and cervical cancer; cardiovascular disease; diabetes mellitus; adult/older adult immunization, hepatitis B, and/or tuberculosis; asthma; and infant mortality.

  15. Steps Program
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
    Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/steps/

    CDC's Steps Program operates a cooperative agreement that provides funding to communities nationwide to support evidence-based community interventions. These interventions focus on reducing the burden of obesity, diabetes, and asthma, as well as addressing three related risk behaviors: physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and tobacco use.

  16. BAM! Body and Mind
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
    Web site: http://www.bam.gov/site_terms.html

    BAM! Body and Mind is an online destination for kids 9-13 years old. BAM! Body and Mind gives them the information they need to make healthy lifestyle choices. The site focuses on topics that kids told us are important to them — such as stress and physical fitness — using kid-friendly lingo, games, quizzes, and other interactive features.

  17. An Employer Toolkit: Reducing Child & Adolescent Obesity — Addressing Healthy Weight For Employees and Their Children
    Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the National Business Group on Health
    Web site: http://www.wbgh.org/healthtopics/et_childobesity.cfm External Link Disclaimer

    The National Business Group on Health — with the support of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau — has produced an informative and useful resource entitled Employer Toolkit: Reducing Child & Adolescent Obesity — Addressing Healthy Weight For Employees and Their Children. This toolkit provides large employers with pertinent and timely information, practical strategies and comprehensive analysis of the childhood obesity epidemic in terms of health consequences and costs. This toolkit provides strategies and solutions for employers and parents that speak to the problem of healthy weight management.

  18. Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program
    Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
    Web site: http://ruralhealth.hrsa.gov/funding/outreach.htm

    The Rural Health Care Services Outreach Grantees have developed various strategies to address obesity within their own communities. Programs work to decrease obesity among children by targeting nutrition, physical education and adopting healthier behaviors. Programs encourage family participation in health risk prevention and education programs to dissolve barriers to healthy lifestyles.

  19. Navajo Coordinated School Health Program
    Indian Health Service (IHS)
    IHS Contact: Evangeline Yabeny, 505-3686135, evangeline.yabeny@ihs.gov

    The Navajo Coordinated School Health Program seeks to implement, support, and evaluate a comprehensive school health (CSH) initiative in the more than 130 schools (Preschool – Grade 12) that serve Navajo and San Juan Southern Paiute students. Through a cohesive partnership between health and education professionals, the CSH approach addresses eight areas including health education, staff wellness, counseling and support, physical activity, nutrition, healthy environment, health services, and community, family, and school partnerships.

  20. Alma, Corazon y Vida (Soul, Heart and Life) Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Program
    Office of the Secretary, Office of Public Health and Science, Office of Minority Health (OS/OPHS/OMH)
    Web site: http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=3967

    The Soul, Heart and Life Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Program aims to decrease the risk factors for heart disease and stroke, including the health risks and implications of obesity and overweight among farm worker families.

  21. Health Education and Access for Latinos (HEAL) Project
    Office of the Secretary, Office of Public Health and Science, Office of Minority Health (OS/OPHS/OMH)
    Web site: http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=3972

    HEAL is a program to reduce health disparities in the Latino community by increasing early detection of cardiovascular risk factors, including overweight and obesity, and promoting therapeutic lifestyle changes.

  22. El Alma Saludable (Healthy Soul) Project
    Office of the Secretary, Office of Public Health and Science, Office of Minority Health (OS/OPHS/OMH)
    Web site: http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=3973

    Healthy Soul is a collaborative effort with Sisters of Color/Hermanas de Colores and Clinica Tepeyac to reduce the proportion of obesity and overweight through healthier diet intake and increased participation in regular physical activity and reduce the frequency of complications caused by Type 2 diabetes through healthy blood sugar levels and increased self care.

  23. Kauai’s Great Weigh Out (KGWO) Project
    Office of the Secretary, Office of Public Health and Science, Office of Minority Health (OS/OPHS/OMH)
    Web site: http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=3979

    KGWO’s goal is to promote healthier behaviors and reduce complications of diabetes, obesity and overweight, and related risk factors for chronic disease conditions (e.g., hypertension, high cholesterol, high blood pressure) among Native Hawaiians and Filipinos living in the Kauai County.

  24. Richmond County Diabetes and Obesity Project
    Office of the Secretary, Office of Public Health and Science, Office of Minority Health (OS/OPHS/OMH)
    Web site: http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=3977

    The Richmond County Diabetes and Obesity Project addresses the severe needs of the African American communities in Richmond County, GA. The services proved in the project specifically target diabetes and obesity or overweight.

  25. Motivando Actitudes Salud Program -- Motivating Healthy Habits (Project M.A.S.)
    Office of the Secretary, Office of Public Health and Science, Office of Minority Health (OS/OPHS/OMH)
    Web site: http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=3985

    The Motivating Healthy Habits Program aims to reduce the high risk behaviors associated with the development of diabetes and obesity/overweight among Hispanics/Latinos in Durham County, NC.

  26. Comprehensive School-Based Program Increases Positive Health Behaviors and Reduces Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes Among Mexican-American and Other At-Risk Youth
    Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
    Web site: http://www.innovations.ahrq.gov/content.aspx?id=2085

    The Bienestar Health Program is a comprehensive and culturally competent school-based behavior modification program intended to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes among Mexican-American and other at-risk youth.

  27. Group-Based, Culturally Sensitive Weight-Loss Program for Families Leads to Improvements in Children's Health-Related Behaviors and Declines in Body Mass Index
    Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
    Web site: http://www.innovations.ahrq.gov/content.aspx?id=2147

    The Promoting Health in Teens and Kids weight management program offers culturally sensitive group education intervention for obese children and their parents that addresses behavioral changes related to physical activity and nutrition, along with families' economic challenges that might make weight management difficult for children.

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