A new report from the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council suggests local governments add zoning restrictions on fast-food restaurants near schools and playgrounds as well as taxes on high-calorie, low-nutrient foods and drinks to tackle the childhood obesity epidemic in their communities.
The report offers a list of actions that hold the greatest potential to curb obesity rates among children, including:
- Provide incentives to lure grocery stores to underserved neighborhoods
- Eliminate outdoor ads for high-calorie, low-nutrient foods and drinks near schools
- Require calorie and other nutritional information on restaurant menus
- Implement local "Safe Routes to School" programs
- Regulate minimum play space and time in child care programs
- Reroute buses or develop other transportation strategies that ensure people can get to grocery stores
- Use building codes to ensure facilities have working water fountains
The report cites 10 examples of local efforts to promote healthy eating and physical activity, including a recent regulation in King County, Wash., that requires calorie information on restaurant menus.
The committee recognized that every community is distinct, and local leaders are in the best position to identify which strategies fit each area's resources and needs. As an initial step, the committee recommends local officials consider conducting a community assessment to determine such factors as the number and location of grocery stores, quick-serve restaurants, vending machines, walking and biking paths, and sidewalks as well as the location and content of food and beverage ads in public places, residents' perceptions of public safety, the quality and accessibility of sports and other activities for youth, and participation rates in federal nutrition assistance programs.
The study was sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council make up the National Academies. They are private, nonprofit institutions that provide science, technology, and health policy advice under a congressional charter.
Additional information about the study can be found at www.iom.edu/obesitylocalgov.
