Research is now frequently linking obesity to adverse outcomes for patients diagnosed with COVID-19, placing an already at-risk population in the crosshairs of a disease which has affected more than 6.5 million Americans, and is responsible for nearly 200,000 deaths. Mortality rates for COVID-19 are also higher among minorities, with sources pointing to a rate of death 2.4 times higher for Black Americans than the non-Hispanic white population. In Chicago and elsewhere, these higher mortality rates for minorities correspond to higher risk of hardship, higher rates of chronic disease (including obesity) and are increasingly tied to a broad range of social determinants of health. "There is increasing evidence that some racial and ethnic minority groups are being disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Inequities in the social determinants of health, such as poverty and healthcare access, affecting these groups are interrelated and influence a wide range of health and quality-of-life outcomes and risks." (CDC, 2020).

A picture has developed reflecting the overarching negative effects of the pandemic on children, including reduced access to healthy foods, less physical activity, more exposure to junk food marketing and delayed visits to primary care providers. However, research is now accumulating that suggests COVID-19 presents an outsized medical risk for obese younger patients, beyond even complications from comorbidities such as diabetes. “Our finding that severe obesity, particularly among younger patients, eclipses the mortality risk posed by other obesity-related conditions, such as history of myocardial infarction, diabetes, hypertension, or hyperlipidemia, suggests a significant pathophysiologic link between excess adiposity and severe COVID-19 illness,” reports David A. Kass, MD, a cardiologist at John Hopkins University.

The specter of negative long term health effects which reduce quality, and length, of life has always driven the work to reduce childhood obesity. The COVID-19 pandemic has added an alarming new concern to that work. The pandemic has also laid bare inequities in our societal landscapes which drive health disparities. These times present not just the opportunity, but the mandate to improve the environments where all of Chicago's children live, learn and play.

Via chicago.gov: The new Chicago eTOD Policy Plan outlines a comprehensive set of actions for the City to take to advance racial equity, wealth building, public health and climate resilience goals through equitable Transit-Oriented Development (eTOD). Recommendations were informed through a cross-sector engagement process and analysis of City programs, and an evaluation framework focused on outcomes, equity, and implementation criteria.

In partnership with Elevated Chicago, an eTOD Work Group was created to engage over 70 stakeholders representing numerous City departments, community-based organizations, the private sector, philanthropies, and regional non-profit and governmental partners. The City invites public comment on the Draft eTOD Policy Plan for 45 days. Submit comments to etod@cityofchicago.org by 5pm on Thursday, October 29th.

In August, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the extension of the national waiver for the USDA Food and Nutrition Service's (FNS) child nutrition programs. This critical move allows school nutrition programs to continue to serve free meals to all children through December 31, 2020.

Health advocates, including FRAC and the Illinois Hunger Coalition, are asking the USDA to act before September 30th – when the Families First Coronavirus Response Act authority to issue nationwide waivers expires – to extend the waivers to ensure continued access to meals through the entire school year. See highlights below and read the full letter here.

Hosted by the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors

National priorities for increasing physical activity to improve health do not address the needs and specific barriers experienced by Black and Indigenous People of Color. This moderated panel presentation will explore these barriers and offer strategies for ensuring racial equity and justice in efforts to increase physical activity. (Join the conversation on social media using #ArrestedMobility.)

This webinar will feature a keynote presentation by Charles T. Brown and a panel discussion featuring Black thought leaders in community and transportation planning to explore limits placed on Black mobility in the U.S.

WHEN: Friday, September 18, 2020, Noon CT