September 17, 2019 - National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
RSVP for the 5-4-3-2-1 Go! Message Training in Pilsen on Friday, September 27th
Join us for the final 5-4-3-2-1 Go! community training of 2019

Join the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC) at Gads Hill Center in Chicago's Pilsen community on Friday, September 27th, for a training session on  5-4-3-2-1 Go!®  , the Consortium's evidenced-based, public education message containing recommendations for children and families to promote a healthy lifestyle. This will be the final 5-4-3-2-1 Go! message training opportunity of 2019, and is the third of three-event community training series which has been supported by Kohl's Cares® .

Developed in 2004 and launched as a mass-media campaign in 2009,  5-4-3-2-1 Go!  has reached millions of individuals in communities throughout Chicago and beyond.

These free, provider-oriented training opportunities will include:
  • Background information on the issue of childhood obesity 
  • Information about the creation and dissemination of 5-4-3-2-1 Go!
  • Strategies for incorporating the message in your programming
  • Opportunities for brainstorming and sharing ideas with colleagues and other community-based organizations.
Date: Friday, September 27, 2019
 Time: 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
 Location: Gads Hill Center, 1919 W. Cullerton St., Chicago, IL 60608

  Street parking is available, however attendees are encouraged to use public transportation. 
These trainings have been made possible through the support of Kohl's Cares®.

JOB POSTINGS 
5-4-3-2-1 Go! Resources
fiveSMART Resources
Report: U.S. Obesity Rates at Historic Highs 

Nine U.S. states had adult obesity rates above 35 percent in 2018, up from seven states at that level in 2017, a historic level of obesity in the U.S., according to the 16th annual State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America report released on September 12th by the Trust for America's Health (TFAH).

The report based in part on newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), and analysis by TFAH, provides an annual snapshot of obesity rates nationwide. The State of Obesity series and the report are funded the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Obesity has serious health consequences including increased risk for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and many types of cancers. Obesity is estimated to increase national healthcare spending by $149 billion annually (about half of which is paid for by Medicare and Medicaid) and being overweight or obese is the most common reason young adults are ineligible for military service.

Obesity rates vary considerably between states with Mississippi and West Virginia having the highest level of adult obesity in the nation at 39.5 percent and Colorado having the lowest rate at 23.0 percent.

For the first time, adult obesity rates were above 35 percent in nine states in 2018: Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota and West Virginia.

As recently as 2012, no state had an adult obesity rate over 35 percent and within the last five years (2013 and 2018) 33 states had statistically significant increases in their rates of adult obesity.

"These latest data shout that our national obesity crisis is getting worse," said John Auerbach, President and CEO of Trust for America's Health. "They tell us that almost 50 years into the upward curve of obesity rates we haven't yet found the right mix of programs to stop the epidemic. Isolated programs and calls for life-style changes aren't enough. Instead, our report highlights the fundamental changes that are needed in the social and economic conditions that make it challenging for people to eat healthy foods and get sufficient exercise."

Differential Impact Among Minority Populations
Prevalence of Self-Reported Obesity Among Non-Hispanic Black Adults by State and Territory,
BRFSS, 2016-2018. CLICK TO ENLARGE
The report highlights that obesity levels are closely tied to social and economic conditions and that individuals with lower incomes are more at risk. People of color, who are more likely to live in neighborhoods with few options for healthy foods and physical activity, and, are the target of widespread marketing of unhealthy foods, are at elevated risk.

As of 2015-2016, the latest available data, nearly half of Latino (47 percent) and Black adults (46.8) had obesity while adult obesity rates among White and Asian adults were 37.9 percent and 12.7 percent respectively. Incidence of childhood obesity was highest among Latino children at 25.8 percent while 22 percent of Black children had obesity, 14 percent of White children had obesity and 11 percent of Asian children had obesity.

Read the full report for TFAH's recommendations based on recent findings. 
POLICY UPDATES
One Week Remains to Comment on SNAP Rule Change That Could Affect Three Million Recipients
Deadline: Monday, September 23rd

On July 23, the Trump administration announced a rule change to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, would remove access to nutrition benefits for over 3 million Americans.

SNAP is a hunger and nutrition safety net for 42 million Americans, including 13 million children, living in food insecure households. The program ensures children have access to basic nutrition, such as fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy, and an opportunity to lead a healthy life.
Food access advocates are encouraged to join CLOCC in supporting children and families who rely on SNAP by submitting a formal comment to the USDA by Monday, September 23rd. Tell the Trump administration that this proposal would:
  • Sidestep Congress, which recently rejected such harmful proposals when it enacted the 2018 Farm Bill.
  • Fuel rates of hunger and food insecurity by taking food off the tables of working families with children, seniors, and people with disabilities, among others.
  • Prevent children from receiving healthy school meals, putting their health and learning at risk.
  • Create a sicker and poorer nation by denying struggling households the food assistance they need for a healthy, productive life.
  • Harm the economy, grocery retailers, and agricultural producers by reducing the amount of SNAP dollars available to spur local economic activity.
Save the date: September 19, 3-4 p.m. Eastern for #HandsOffSNAP Tweet Storm.

Submit a Comment with the Link Below. NOTE: It is important to alter all comments to be your own, in order to be considered in governmental review
FOCUS UPSTREAM
Updates on social, structural and other root causes of obesity
CLOCC continues to expand our focus "upstream" to identify the fundamental root causes of obesity, and to broaden the scope of our obesity prevention strategies. This work coincides with heightened local and national attention to health equity and social determinants of health, such as immigration, education, poverty and racism, all of which have an impact on people's ability to eat healthy and be active where they live, work, learn, and play. If you have comments or questions about this focus, we invite you to reach out to info@clocc.net. 
CHILDHOOD OBESITY IN THE NEWS
FUNDING & RECOGNITION OPPORTUNITIES 
  • Policies for Action is issuing a special call for proposals to advance health equity by actively seeking new and diverse perspectives from the policy research field. This opportunity will support early-career researchers from underrepresented and historically disadvantaged backgrounds to help us understand and find solutions that promote health equity and foster action on policies and laws that ensure all people in America can attain and preserve good health and well-being. The deadline to apply is 3:00 p.m. (ET) on October 2nd.
T he Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC) is a nationally recognized leader for community-based obesity prevention. We support, coordinate, and unite partners to promote healthy and active lifestyles for children and families. Our multi-sector approach emerged in Chicago and can be adapted for use anywhere.