Resources
On this page:
- General Information About Weight, Nutrition, and Health
- Weight Loss and Maintenance
- Education and Research
- Childhood Overweight and Obesity
General Information About Weight, Nutrition, and Health
Healthy Weight – It's not just a
diet, it's a lifestyle CDC, Nutrition and Physical Activity Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight isn't just about a "diet" or "program". It is part of a ongoing lifestyle that you can adopt now and stay with for years to come. A healthy weight contributes to good health now and as you age. |
Body Mass Index
(BMI)
CDC, Nutrition and Physical Activity
Information about the Body Mass Index (BMI), a calculated value used for
identifying overweight and obese adults, access to a BMI calculator, and
links to related information.
Diabetes
and Me: Prevent Diabetes
CDC, Diabetes Public Health Resource
Research studies have found that moderate weight loss and exercise can
prevent or delay type 2 diabetes among adults at high-risk of diabetes.
Dietary Guidelines
for Americans 2005
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published jointly by the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of
Agriculture (USDA), provides advice about how good dietary habits for people
aged 2 years and older can promote health and reduce risk for major chronic
diseases.
Also available, a brochure for consumers:
Finding Your Way to a Healthier You: Based on the Dietary Guidelines for
Americans(PDF-255K)
Interactive
Toolbox
The Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) at the National
Agricultural Library (NAL)
The Interactive Toolbox contains links to Web sites that allow consumers
and professionals to input information and receive individual feedback to
help with dietary assessment and planning, checking personal health risks,
testing knowledge, and evaluating needs.
MedlinePlus
MedlinePlus as service of the US National Library of Medicine brings
together a wealth of authoritative obesity information from NLM, the
National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and
health-related organizations.
MyPyramid
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
MyPyramid Plan can help you choose the foods and amounts that are right
for you. An online dietary assessment that provides information on diet
quality and related nutrition information. It also assesses physical
activity.
Obesity,
Physical Activity, and Weight Control Glossary
Weight-control Information Network NIDDK
This glossary defines words that are often used when people talk or write
about obesity, physical activity, and weight control. It is written for
people who are overweight or obese, or interested in learning more about
obesity, physical activity, nutrition, and weight control.
Physical Activity for Everyone
Regular physical activity offers many health benefits. The new Physical
Activity Web site provides information on the importance of physical
activity and how to make it part of your life.
smallstep.gov
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Weight-loss success stories, Small Step tips, and other resources for
maintaining and losing weight.
The Surgeon
General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
A call to action that outlines strategies that communities can use in
helping to address the problems of overweight and obesity.
Weight-control Information
Network
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK),
Weight-control Information Network (WIN)
General information, publications, and other resources on weight control,
obesity, physical activity, and related nutritional issues for the general
public, health professionals, the media, and Congress.
Weight Loss and Maintenance
Active at Any Size
National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDK),
Weight-control Information Network (WIN)
Some overweight people face challenges trying to be active. Find out how
to get more active no matter what your size.
Aim for a Healthy Weight
National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Heart Lung and Blood
Institute (NHLBI)
Guidelines for the measurement of overweight and obesity
and steps for safe and effective weight loss.
The American Society of Bariatric
Physicians*
ASBP offers information on the problem of obesity, tips on weight
loss, and a referral program to bariatric physicians (specializing in
obesity treatment) for professional consultation.
Binge Eating
Disorder
National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDK),
Weight-control Information Network (WIN)
Fact sheet that discusses binge eating disorders.
Choosing a
Safe and Successful Weight-loss Program
National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDK),
Weight-control Information Network (WIN)
Fact sheet to help consumers make an informed decision about joining a
weight-loss program.
Consumer Information
Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Weight Loss & Fitness
Consumer information on topics such as finding the right weight loss
program and avoiding deception.
Information About
Losing Weight and Maintaining a Healthy Weight
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Food Safety and Applied
Nutrition (CFSAN)
Links to information related to losing weight.
Nutrition
Topics
CDC, Nutrition and Physical Activity
Links to additional information and resources on nutrition.
Physical Activity for Everyone
Regular physical activity offers many health benefits. The new Physical
Activity Web site provides information on the importance of physical
activity and how to make it part of your life.
We
Can!
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) offers a national
education program designed for parents and caregivers to help children 8-13
years old stay at a healthy weight. The booklet "Finding
the Balance: A Parent Resources" offers an array of easy to use
practical tips and tools for parents and guardians to help their children
and families eat healthy, increase physical activity, and decrease screen
time.
Weight Loss: Finding a Weight Loss Program That Works for You
Federal Citizen Information Center
Booklet designed to help consumers ask the right questions to choose a
safe and effective weight loss method and to determine if their weight
puts them at risk for health problems.
Education and Research
CDC's State Legislative
Information
The CDC's Legislative Database contains summaries of state legislative
bills related to nutrition and physical activity from 2001 to present.
Links are provided to each state legislature site to obtain the full-text
version of the bill.
The
Economics of Obesity: A Report on the Workshop Held at USDA’s Economic
Research Service
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) This report presents a
summary of the papers and the discussions presented at a workshop focused
on health economics research on the causes and consequences of rising
obesity in the United States.
Obesity
Education Initiative
National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute (NHLBI)
Information on an initiative designed to help reduce the prevalence of overweight along
with the prevalence of physical inactivity in order to reduce the risk of
coronary heart disease (CHD) and overall morbidity and mortality from CHD.
Obesity/Nutrition
Research Centers (ONRCs) and Clinical Nutrition Research Units (CNRUs)
National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Diabetes and
Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), Weight-control Information Network
(WIN)
Information about grant programs to support obesity and nutrition research
and research training: the Clinical Nutrition Research Unit (CNRU) and the
Obesity/Nutrition Research Center (ONRC).
Reports and
Studies on Obesity
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition
Information Center
Reports and studies on obesity.
Research to Practice Series
CDC, Nutrition and Physical Activity
Document examining the evidence from available studies to determine
whether eating fruits and vegetables can help with weight management.
2000
CDC Growth Chart Training Modules and Materials
You will find CDC Growth Chart Training Modules, CDC Growth Charts 2000
Slide Set and other resources for using the 2000 CDC Growth Charts.
Childhood Overweight and Obesity
CDC Childhood Overweight
Overweight is a serious health concern for children and adolescents. The
most recent data indicate that in the United States about 16% of
children ages 6–19 years are overweight.
CDC Healthy
Youth: Childhood Overweight
CDC Division of Adolescent Health and School Health
General information about overweight among young people and general
information on healthy eating and physical activity in childhood and
adolescence.
Children and Weight: What Communities Can Do*
Center for Weight and Health, University of California, Berkeley
A tool kit designed to help communities respond to the increasing problem
of childhood obesity by mobilizing local resources.
Helping
Your Overweight Child
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK),
Weight-control Information Network (WIN)
Information to help parents teach
children healthy eating and physical activity habits.
Overweight and Obesity*
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
General information about childhood overweight and obesity.
The Institute of Medicine
Report, Food Marketing to Children and Youth:
Threat or Opportunity?*
This new report explores the influence of food
and beverage marketing on the diets and diet-related health of U.S.
children and youth. The reports includes the committee's recommendations
for how various stakeholders can promote healthful foods and beverages to
children and youth.
Reducing Children's TV
Time to Reduce the Risk of Childhood Overweight: The Children's Media Use
Study Highlights Report
(PDF-258k)
Results of a qualitative study with children and parents to understand
barriers and opportunities for reducing children's television viewing.
School Health Programs: Key Strategies to Prevent Obesity
Overweight is a risk factor for health conditions such as diabetes and
is associated with problems such as poor self-esteem. The good news is
that schools can help students and staff adopt healthy eating and physical
activity behaviors that are the keys to preventing obesity! Whether you
are a teacher, parent, student, or school administrator, you can make
healthy changes at your school.
Smallstep for
Kids
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
A child-focused site offering nutritional advice, games and activity
suggestions for children and parents as part of the obesity prevention
campaign. The computer-animated character Shrek encourages kids to go
out an play.
We Can! A Parent Handbook
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
We Can! stands for Ways to Enhance Children's Activity
& Nutrition. We Can! is a national education program designed for
parents and caregivers to help children 8-13 years old stay at a healthy
weight. Learn practical tips to help your family find the right balance of
eating well and being physically active to maintain a healthy weight.
Please note: Some of these publications are available for download only as *.pdf files. These files require Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to be viewed. Please review the information on downloading and using Acrobat Reader software.
* Links to non-Federal organizations found at this site are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at these links.
Page last updated: January 28, 2009
Content Source: Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion