NACCHO and CDC are seeking to understand local health department’s interest and capacity to implement Family Healthy Weight programs. We would appreciate your participation in this very short survey outlining your health department's needs and capacity to engage in lifestyle change programs. This survey is to be completed by local health department staff only.
Obesity is one of the most common chronic diseases facing children and adolescents. More than 14.4 million U.S. children are living with obesity, which is associated with several health consequences. This number has steadily increased over the past 20 years. For the past years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have supported several Family Healthy Weight Program implementations. A Family Healthy Weight Program is a family-based lifestyle change program that aims to help children with overweight and obesity make progress towards a healthier weight by offering techniques such as family-based nutrition counseling, parental goal setting and role modeling sessions, group physical activity sessions, and more. These programs are aligned with the newly released American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)’s Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Evaluation and Treatment of Children and Adolescents with Overweight and Obesity. Family Healthy Weight Programs can be implemented in a variety of settings, including recreation centers, healthcare facilities such as federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), schools, YMCAs, or other community venues with safe and adequate facilities. Through this capacity analysis, we are hoping to identify local health departments that are poised and interested in implementing such programs.