Nearly one-third of youths in the United States – more than 23 million – are overweight or obese. As part of its efforts to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has initiated its Communities Creating Healthy Environments program, awarding $15 million in grants to 10 advocacy organizations.
The program focuses on communities of color and indigenous nations, selecting local organizations with extensive records of engagement with social, economic and environmental justice issues. The groups are called upon to implement specific strategies to improve neighborhood health by increasing access to recreation environments and nutritious food.
"Our communities have higher prevalence of childhood obesity, but we also have higher concentration of the factors that lead to these problems in the first place," says Makani Themba-Nixon, CCHE project director. "More fast food outlets and fewer food markets are given permits in our communities. Our schools do not receive adequate funding for recreation and play, and too often our children are harassed or face unsafe conditions when they do play outdoors."
By engaging and organizing community residents to become more involved in policy-making, CCHE hopes to catalyze lasting change to help families lead healthier lives. Organizations will receive up to $250,000 over three years to develop effective interventions into root causes of childhood obesity in local communities. Up to 10 additional organizations will be funded later this year.
Dwayne C. Proctor, director of RWJF’s Childhood Obesity Team describes the project as an effort to build "healthy, sustainable" environments by addressing communities’ "individual needs." CCHE draws on 30 years of community-based work and research, which shows that community environments are a deciding factor in health.
