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.

Weight Change and Depression Among U.S. Young Women During the Transition to Adulthood

July 9, 2013 | Journal Article

In adolescent females, weight gain and obesity were risk factors for depression onset during the transition to adulthood according to research findings.

Racial/Ethnic Minorities and Community Empowerment

April 1, 2013 | Book

This section of Advances in Communication Research to Reduce Childhood Obesity addresses a number of community-level strategies for engaging youth of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds in healthy eating.

Mitchell H. Katz, MD

January 22, 2013 | Story

Clinical Scholar Mitchell H. Katz, MD, always lived by the mantra, "Be of use."

Helping Students Determine Community Needs, and How to Address Them

July 12, 2012 | Story

Walter Zelman, director of the public health department at California State University, Los Angeles, tapped into Commission to Build a Healthier America research to inform students as they assessed local health concerns.

Neighborhood Perceptions and Active School Commuting in Low-Income Cities

October 1, 2013 | Journal Article

Improving neighborhood environments to make them more pleasant are likely to increse active travel to and from school.

Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities: Supporting Community Action to Prevent Childhood Obesity

National Program

To catalyze and support policy and environmental change projects to promote children's physical activity and healthy eating, especially in lower-income and racial/ethnic communities at greatest risk.

Evaluating the Impact of New Beverage Nutrition Standards in Licensed Childcare in California

March 1, 2013 | Report/Evaluation

California’s Healthy Beverages in Childcare Act was implemented in January 2012 to regulate beverages in licensed childcare centers. This report measures the impact of the policy on childcare practices.

School District Wellness Policies

February 28, 2013 | Report

A report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Bridging the Gap program finds that progress to improve school district wellness policies has stalled.

Estimated Energy Expenditures for School-Based Policies and Active Living

February 1, 2013 | Journal Article

This study estimates the minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity various school and community policy changes could support among youth.

Reaching the Goal of 60 Minutes of Physical Activity for Children

February 1, 2013 | Issue Brief

National experts recommend that children get at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day, but many children do not. This brief describes school and community strategies that can help kids be active.