The Power of People and Ideas
Public health efforts are carried by the force of ideas and by the power of commitment.
Healthy People 2010 identifies goals to improve the country’s health status, including
reducing the prevalence of overweight and obesity. This Surgeon General’s Call To
Action To Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity addresses the Healthy People
2010 objectives to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity and presents many
ideas by which this can be done. Translating these ideas into meaningful action will
require a great commitment. We must collectively build on existing successful programs
in both the public and private sectors, identify current gaps in action, and develop and
initiate actions to fill those gaps. Public-private working groups should be formed around
key themes or around the major settings in which obesity prevention and treatment efforts
need to take place. While the magnitude of the problem is great, the range of potential
solutions is even greater. The design of successful interventions and actions for
prevention and management of overweight and obesity will require the careful attention
of many individuals and organizations working together through multiple spheres of
influence.
Individuals
Individuals lie at the foundation of the solution to the problems of overweight and
obesity. Individuals can share their own knowledge and habits regarding a healthy diet
and physical activity with their children, other family members, friends, and co-workers.
Through frank dialogue regarding the methods, challenges, and benefits of adopting a
healthy lifestyle, individuals can make the effort to combat the obesity epidemic both
personal and relevant.
Organizations
Organizations represent individuals who have common goals and purposes.
Organizations can initiate discussions on obesity and overweight within their membership
and can establish weight and lifestyle goals. Organizations can develop programs that
educate members on food choices and appropriate levels of physical activity and engage
members in these healthy habits. Using their links to and influence within the broader
community, organizations can share their experiences in weight management and thus
serve as an important public resource.
Industry
Industry has a vital role in the prevention of overweight and obesity. Through the
production and distribution of food and other consumer products, industry exerts a
tremendous impact on the nutritional quality of the food we eat and the extent of physical
activity in which we engage. Industry can use that leverage to create and sustain an
environment that encourages individuals to achieve and maintain a healthy or healthier
body weight.
Communities
Communities consist of multiple components, including individuals, faith-based and
other community organizations, worksites, and governments. A forum should be
provided in which all community members can discuss the scope of the problem of
overweight and obesity within the community. Also, the nature and adequacy of
available resources for public education and treatment, as well as current and future
policies and programs to reduce the burden of overweight and obesity within the
community, must be addressed. Clearly, the discussions and the strategies adopted will
vary depending on the prevalence of obesity and overweight within each community.
Government
Local governments can work together with organizations and communities to facilitate
goals for reducing overweight and obesity. Local governments can assist with providing
services to increase physical activity and improve nutritional intake. State, Tribal, and
local governments can collaborate more with Federal nutrition assistance programs that
provide services promoting healthy eating and physical activity. States can form task
forces, steering committees, or advisory committees and can also develop State strategic
plans. State and national governments can provide funding for research on the effects of
interventions on overweight and obesity prevalence, prevention, and treatment, and on
trends in diet and exercise among at-risk populations. Governments can also provide
support for public education, public awareness campaigns, and treatment services.
Finally, governments can create and promote policies that promote an environment in
which healthy dietary and physical activity options are readily accessible.
|