Healthy Weight: Community Outreach Initiative. Strategy Development Workshop Report (Bethesda, Maryland, February 17-18, 2004)

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Obesity Education Initiative (OEI) convened a two-day meeting to help develop a national public education outreach initiative to help reduce and prevent overweight and obesity in the United States. This Strategy Development Workshop, held on February 17-18, 2004, convened more that 70 public health leaders, nutritionists and dieticians, food industry experts, health communicators, youth marketing experts, park and recreation officials, and others from professional societies and constituency groups. The Workshop proceedings illuminated the complexity of the factors leading to weight gain; the many environmental and societal influences on the eating and physical activity habits of various population groups; and the community-based strategies that might encourage healthier habits. The objectives of the Workshop were to examine community-based obesity best practices; help determine the unique niche for the new NHLBI Healthy Weight Initiative (HWI); recommend appropriate and effective program strategies and interventions; and identify potential program partners and partnership opportunities. Texts presented at the meeting and contained herein are as follows: (1) Obesity: What are the Challenges, Obstacles, and Strategic Considerations? (Marian Fitzgibbon); (2) The Basic (Care and) Feeding of Homo Sapiens: Are We Truly Clueless About Weight Control? (David L. Katz); (3) CardioVision 2020: A Community Responds to the Obesity Epidemic (Thomas E. Kottke); (4) From Clinical Trial to Public Health Practice: Translation and Dissemination of the Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) (Deanna M. Hoelscher and Peter Cribb); (5) Youth Marketing and Public Health Messaging (Peter Zollo and Richard Ellis); (6) Talk-Show Session: Feedback From the Field (William A. Smith, Ezra D. Alexander, III, Lisa Bailey-Davis, Kathy Burkhardt, Monica Dixon, Kristy Hansen, Molly M. Michelman, and Anita Pesses); (7) Carousel Brainstorming: Facilitated Small-Group Sessions; (8) When Obesity Is More Common Than Not: Developing a Culturally Positive Approach (Shiriki Kumanyika); (9) Environmental Factors: Disparities in Access to Healthy Foods and Active Living (Jeane Ann Grisso); (10) Is Increased Weight Discrimination Acceptable Collateral Damage in the War on Obesity? (Lynn McAfee); and (11) Closing Session: Workshop Wrap-Up and Next Steps (Marian Fitzgibbon and Karen Donato). Appendices present a participant list; strategy development workshop agenda, participant guidelines for small-group carousel brainstorming; and graphic representations of presentations.