If you’d like to identify strategies for reducing obesity in your community but don’t know where to begin, check out the Childhood Obesity News Digest. A free service of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the Childhood Obesity News Digest highlights key articles from major journals and news publications. It’s a great way to jump start any program.

Ohio Targets Kids
In response to an Ohio Department of Health study showing that nearly 19 percent of Ohio third-graders are obese, schools throughout the state are implementing obesity prevention programs. According to the Lancaster Eagle Gazette students at Lancaster’s West Elementary School are participating in the Feelin’ Good Mileage Club, in which students begin each school day by walking or jogging around the school building. Students have collectively logged more than 3,000 miles since the beginning of the school year. Not to be outdone, administrators at Bloom-Carroll Middle School have removed all fried food items from school lunch menus, replacing them with fresh salad offerings, and replaced sugary drinks sold in school vending machines with water and sports drinks. Bloom-Carroll administrators are also considering adding new desks in one classroom that would allow students to stand or pedal during class.

Massachusetts Establishes Town Model
A program launched in Somerville, Massachusetts to reduce childhood obesity and promote healthy lifestyles is being touted as a model for other cities and towns across the nation, USA Today reports. The Somerville program began in 2002 as part of an initiative by Tufts University researchers to determine whether promoting exercise and healthy eating habits could reduce childhood obesity. Using funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and several philanthropic groups, Somerville schools replaced unhealthy cafeteria items, such as french fries, candy and soda, with nutritious foods including fresh fruits and skim milk. The city also added bike lanes and pedestrian crosswalks to encourage physical activity, residents planted community gardens to grow fresh produce and local restaurants began offering healthier menu items. After one year, children in Somerville gained 15 percent less weight than their peers residing in towns not participating in the initiative, and ridership on the community’s bike paths increased twofold. As a result of the improvements, various iterations of the program are now being launched in several other U.S. cities to improve wellness and reduce the burden of chronic disease among both children and adults.

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