Childhood Obesity Program Area

RWJF is committed to tackling one of the most urgent threats to the health of our children and families—childhood obesity. Our goal is to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015.

State Obesity Legislation: Community- and School-Based Bills More Likely to be Passed

November 17, 2008 | Program Result

Researchers at the St. Louis University School of Public Health conducted an analysis of childhood obesity legislation introduced in all states between 2003 and 2005.

State Legislation to Address Childhood Obesity

December 14, 2012 | Program Result

Researchers analyzed state legislation on childhood obesity for factors that predict enactment and to understand the relationship between enacted policies and obesity rates. They developed tools to help others analyze legislation.

An Action Agenda for Schools and Communities to Fight Obesity

July 30, 2012 | Program Result

During 2006 to 2007, TV and radio host Tavis Smiley convened town hall meetings in four U.S. cities to raise awareness of childhood obesity. A key organization in each city then worked to spur state and local efforts to address the growing problem.

Bridging the Gap: Research Informing Practice and Policy for Healthy Youth

January 28, 2011 | Program Result

Bridging the Gap: Research Informing Practice for Healthy Youth Behavior conducts research on how laws, policies, practices, programs and other environmental influences at the state, community and school levels affect youth behaviors.

Governors Get on Board to Help Their States Tackle Childhood Obesity

August 30, 2010 | Program Result

RWJF provided four grants to enable the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices to enlist governors in tackling the childhood obesity epidemic and encourage state innovation in policies and programs.

When a State Changes Nutrition Policy, What's the Effect on Student Food Choices and Sales?

March 1, 2009 | Program Result

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine analyzed the impact of changes in state nutrition policy that were designed to restrict high fat/sugar foods, reduce portion sizes and eliminate candy and fried foods in Texas public schools.

Tracking What the States are Doing about Kids' Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity

November 11, 2008 | Program Result

Researchers with the Health Policy Tracking Service of Netscan iPublishing identified, analyzed, monitored and reported on state legislative, regulatory and policy initiatives focused on child and adolescent nutrition, physical activity and obesity.

Researchers Review State Policies on Promoting Walking and Biking

September 1, 2005 | Program Result

From December 2001 through October 2002, staff from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) collected and analyzed information on state statutes and policies that promote walking and biking for physical activity.

Coalition Builds Capacity to Become the National Voice of the Physical Activity Movement

May 28, 2008 | Program Result

The National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity, an advocacy and member organization, built its capacity to serve as a national voice for the physical activity movement and its ability to sustain itself.

IOM Develops Action Plan to Tackle Childhood Obesity and Charts Progress Two Years Later

July 29, 2008 | Program Result

In 2002 Congress directed the Institute of Medicine to research the problem and develop an action plan to address it.