The Surgeon General's Call To Action To Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity
Creating National Action
Interventions and actions in the fundamental areas of the CARE approach should catalyze
a process of national, State, and local action to address overweight and obesity. While
strategies and action steps will vary, all who take action should acknowledge and
embrace the following principles:
- Actions by diversified and cooperative groups are desirable. Working groups
may form around settings or around crosscutting themes, as appropriate, to best
leverage their talents and resources against overweight and obesity. Partnerships
among all levels of government; public and private national, State, Tribal, and
local organizations; and faith-based and other community groups will increase the
likelihood that true gaps in action will be addressed. Partnerships also may foster
learning, sharing of resources, division of labor, and consistency in the message to
the public. Additionally, they may enhance media prominence and the social
credibility of actions to address overweight and obesity.
- Actions require vigorous, dedicated commitment. The social, environmental, and
behavioral factors responsible for the epidemic of overweight and obesity are
firmly entrenched in our society. Identifying and dislodging these factors will
require deliberate, persistent action and a degree of patience.
- Actions should strive to help all Americans maintain a healthy or healthier weight
through balancing caloric intake and energy expenditure. Actions should focus at
multiple levels, targeting the environment, behavior change, and policy.
- Actions should be carefully planned. The choice of actions should be based on
the relative feasibility, effectiveness, and suitability of all potential actions, and all
partners should have a clearly defined role in the action.
- Actions should be sensitive to the needs of minority populations and to the social
stigmatization that can surround overweight and obesity.
- Actions and their outcomes should be evaluated. While implementing a system to
monitor outcomes should not stand as a barrier to action, groups that are able
should monitor and document the short-term and long-term effects of the actions
they take. This type of tracking provides important information for the next round
of actions and increases the likelihood of success. Developing a concrete
evaluation plan early may help focus the goals for action.
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Last revised: January 11, 2007
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