This episode highlights the nation’s childhood obesity epidemic and discusses ways to reduce climbing obesity rates by increasing access to healthy foods and promoting physical activity through community planning and changes to the built environment. Tennessee shares how policies and programs at the local level are working to combat obesity, and CDC examines the landscape of childhood obesity research in America and describes the Active People, Healthy Nation initiative designed to help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027.

Guests:

• Terry O’Toole, PhD, Chief, Program Development and Evaluation Branch, CDC Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity
• John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, FACOEM, Commissioner of Health, Tennessee Department of Health
• John Vick, PhD, Evaluation and Assessment Director, Office of Primary Prevention, Tennessee Department of Health

Resources:

• CDC’s Active People, Healthy Nation Initiative
• CDC Public Health Grand Rounds: Preventing Childhood Obesity
• TN Department of Health: Healthy Places
• TN Department of Health: Built Environment Local Grants
• TN Department of Health: Local Case Studies