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Location Finder of the nearest parks, playgrounds, nutrition programs and workout facilities, personalized to where you live, work and play.

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Take Away Sheets for your Clients Go to the "Resources by Zip Codes" and you can print out a list of all of the physical activity and nutrition resources in the area of your clients' home.

Facts for Health Provides
Resource for Health Providers
Studies and Articles on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity

Facts for Health Providers

Rising rates of chronic diseases and obesity are among today’s most urgent health issues, with dire physical, social and economic consequences. No groups are more negatively affected than communities of color or low-income people. Research clearly documents the myriad health problems related to poor nutrition and inactivity; it also offers promising directions for supporting healthier eating and activity.

Physical Inactivity and Poor Nutrition: The Magnitude of the Problem

	Physical inactivity, obesity, and overweight cost California an estimated $21.7 billion per year in direct and indirect medical care, workers' compensation, and lost productivity. The majority of these costs were shouldered by public and private employers in the form of health insurance and lost productivity.

	Nationally, the obesity rate has doubled among adults over the last 2 decades. More than 60% of California's African American and Latino adults are overweight or obese.

	It is estimated that two in five Latino and African American babies born today in California will develop diabetes during their lifetime.

	More than 50% of television ads targeted at children are for food, predominantly those high in sugar and fat, and very rarely promoting fruit or vegetable consumption.

	Latino and African American youth in lower income families reported worse access to safe parks and open space and lower activity levels than white or upper-income peers.

Community Influences on Eating and Activity: What the Research Says

	Presence of a nearby supermarket increased fruit and vegetable intake by African-Americans by 32% for each additional supermarket, while fruit and vegetable intake among White Americans increased by 11%.

	Increasing the variety and lowering the price of healthy foods in cafeterias and vending machines has led to increased purchases of these items.

	The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended elimination of televised food advertising aimed at children because "children are unprepared to make appropriate food choices and do not understand the relationship of food choices to health maintenance and disease prevention.”

	The closer people live to a safe place to walk or bike, the more likely they are to use it. Access to recreational facilities more the doubles the likelihood that people will engage in recommended levels of physical activity (30-60 minutes each day).

Resources for Health Providers


	http://www.chis.ucla.edu/ The California Health Information Survey (CHIS) allows you to instantly get state and local data on hundreds of health topics. Run your own customized search using AskCHIS, review publications and data summaries, learn about current research, or attend an AskCHIS workshop. You can also review survey topics, questionnaires, methodology, sample design and other specifics. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes.htm The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) has the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which is a population-based survey designed to collect information on the health and nutrition of the United States household population. There are two parts to the survey: the home interview and the health examination. In the in home health interview participants are asked questions about health status, disease history and diet. The health examination is performed in a mobile exam center. All medical screenings are non-invasive. http://www.cdc.gov/brfss/ The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is the world’s largest, on-going telephone health survey system, tracking health conditions and risk behaviors in the United States yearly since 1984. Conducted by the 50 state health departments as well as those in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands with support from the CDC, BRFSS provides state-specific information about issues such as asthma, diabetes, health care access, alcohol use, hypertension, obesity, cancer screening, nutrition and physical activity, tobacco use, and more. Federal, state, and local health professionals and researchers use this information to track health risks, identify emerging problems (example – obesity rates), prevent disease, and improve treatment. http://www.lapublichealth.org/ha/survey/hasurveyintro.htm Recent Health Trends in Los Angeles County Office of Health Assessment and Epidemiology, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. The Los Angeles County Health Survey is a population based telephone survey that provides information concerning the health of the Los Angeles County residents. The data are used for assessing health-related needs of the population, for program planning and policy development, and for program evaluation. The relatively large sample size allows users to obtain health indicator data for large demographic subgroups and across geographic regions of the County, including Service Planning Areas and Health Districts. http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/cdic/copi/documents/surveillancedocument.pdf The California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) is a comprehensive and customizable youth self-report data collection system that provides essential and reliable health risk assessment and resilience information to schools, districts, and communities. Targeted at grades 5-12, the CHKS enables schools and communities to collect and analyze valuable data regarding local youth health risks, assets, and behaviors. www.smallstep.gov "Being Healthy" can be perceived as a daunting task that requires too much sacrifice, with little immediate reward, so the US Department of Health and Human Services launched the “Small Steps” campaign. This campaign communicates that getting healthy is not impossible, especially if you take one “Small Step” at a time. At this website, you can find out more information to hopefully inspire healthier eating and increased activity. More than 100 Small Steps can be found on the website, including a section devoted to kids and small steps that they can take. http://www.healthycity.org/ Search through a database of social services in LA County and create your own demographic maps. At Healthy City, you can search your neighborhood for resources, create policy maps with resources and Census 2000 information and view data and charts of demographics and health statistics. http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/ Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity (DNPA) takes a public health approach to address the role of nutrition and physical activity in improving the public's health and preventing and controlling chronic diseases. The scope of DNPA activities includes epidemiological and behavioral research, surveillance, training and education, intervention development, health promotion and leadership, policy and environmental change, communication and social marketing, and partnership development. The CDC has great resources and information on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Overweight & Obesity.

Studies and Articles on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity


	OBESITY The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has a collection of studies and articles related to obesity. You can view articles that are more than six months old by creating a free username (to view all articles, you need to be a member). Available at http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/collection/obesity Office of Health Assessment and Epidemiology, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, “The Obesity Epidemic in Los Angeles County Adults,” LA Health Trends, September 2006. Available at http://www.lapublichealth.org/ha/reports/habriefs/Obesity05.pdf California Obesity Prevention Initiative, “Reversing the Obesity Epidemic: California’s Strategies for Action,” Sacramento: California Department of Health Services, 2006. Available at http://www.dhs.ca.gov/cdic/copi/documents/Obesity%20Book%2012.pdf Office of Maternal and Child Health, California Department of Health Services, “Weight Management – The Controversy Over Weight,” Weight Management, July 2000. Available at http://www.mch.dhs.ca.gov/documents/Nutrition/WeightManagement.pdf Finkelstein, EA, Fiebelkorn, IC, Wang, G. National Medical Spending Attributable to Overweight and Obesity: How Much, And Who’s Paying? Health Affairs. 14May2003; WC: 219-226. Available at http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/full/hlthaff.w3.219v1/DC1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General's call to action to prevent and decrease overweight and obesity. [Rockville, MD]: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General; [2001]. Available at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/toc.htm. NUTRITION U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS) U. S. Food and Drug Administration FDA Backgrounder. The Food Label. May 1999. Available at: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fdnewlab.html. US Food and Drug Administration. Questions and Answers about Trans Fat Nutrition Labeling. Available at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/qatrans2.html#s1q3. International Food Information Council. IFIC Review: Sweet Facts About Sugars and Health. Available at http://www.ific.org/publications/reviews/sugarsir.cfm. US Food and Drug Administration. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. Available at http://www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines/ Healthy Snack List that Meets CA SB19 Standards http://www.nojunkfood.org/vendors/healthy_snack_list.html The Prevention Institute: Nutrition Policy Projects and Information. Available at http://www.preventioninstitute.org/nutrition.html PHYSICAL ACTIVITY The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has a collection of studies and articles related to physical activity. You can view articles that are more than six months old by creating a free username (to view all articles, you need to be a member). Available at http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/search?fulltext=physical+activity Physical Activity Guidelines for Children, Youth and Adults from US and International Health Organizations, Updated 2004. Available at http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/cdic/copi/documents/dhspaguide.pdf “Bright Futures in Practice: Physical Activity,” is a guide that provides developmentally appropriate physical activity guidelines for infancy through adolescence to meet the needs of health professionals, families, and communities. There is current information on screening, assessment, and counseling to promote physical activity issues and concerns such as asthma, diabetes mellitus, and obesity. Available at http://www.brightfutures.org/physicalactivity/index.html “Guidelines for Comprehensive Programs to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity: Prepared by Nutrition and Physical Activity Work Group,” Human Kinetics, 2002. Available at http://www.astphnd.org/resource_read.php3?resource_id=6&sid=91c405c87f82aecfc87d11ed3833fbf3 The California Center for Physical Activity is a champion for creative solutions to increasing everyday activity in California and serves as an expert resource for California physical activity partners. The California Center for Physical Activity addresses the obesity and diabetes epidemics, cardiovascular disease and stroke, osteoporosis, arthritis, colon cancer, and hypertension by targeting sedentary and irregularly active people across the lifespan. Available at http://www.caphysicalactivity.org/index.html