State-Based Programs

CDC's State-Based Nutrition and Physical Activity Program to Prevent Obesity and Other Chronic Diseases

Created in 1999, CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) currently funds 25 states to address the problems of obesity and other chronic diseases through statewide efforts coordinated with multiple partners. The program's primary focus is to create policy and environmental changes that will improve the health of places where Americans live, work, learn, and play. working to build lasting and comprehensive efforts to address obesity and other chronic diseases through a variety of nutrition and physical activity strategies.

To read about specific nutrition and physical activity interventions that our funded states are developing or implementing go to Funded States.

Goal

The program goal is to prevent and control obesity and other chronic diseases through healthful eating and physical activity. The goal will be achieved through strategic public health efforts aimed at the following program objectives:

Outcome objectives:

• Decrease prevalence of obesity.
• Increase physical activity.
• Improve dietary behaviors related to population burden of obesity and chronic diseases.

Impact objectives:

• Increase the number, reach, and quality of policies and standards set in place to support healthful eating and physical activity in various settings.
• Increase access and use of environments to support healthful eating and physical activity in various settings.
• Increase the number, reach and quality of social and behavioral approaches that complement policy and environmental strategies to promote healthful eating and physical activity.

The state program will develop strategies to leverage resources and coordinate statewide efforts with multiple partners to address all of the following DNPAO principal target areas:

• Increase physical activity.
• Increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables.
• Decrease the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages.
• Increase breastfeeding initiation, duration and exclusivity.
• Reduce the consumption of high energy dense foods.
• Decrease television viewing.

For these behavior targets, as well as health outcomes of obesity and other chronic diseases, the program emphasizes reducing health disparities including but not limited to those related to race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geography, sex, age, and disability.

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