The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #61889

Seleda A. Williams, MD, MPH, Office of Clinical Preventive Medicine, California Department of Health Services, 714 P. Street, Room 1292, Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 657-4364, swillia8@dhs.ca.gov

Medical and public health professionals are becoming increasingly concerned about the rising rates of overweight and obesity. Over half of California adults are overweight or obese and about one in three children and one in four teens is at-risk or already overweight. Even though current research indicates that the promotion of healthy eating and physical activity should be addressed at a community and environmental perspective, health plans and providers can also play an important role in identifying those at risk for obesity and in providing treatment strategies for weight management. Research indicates that many providers are not counseling their overweight and obese patients about nutrition and physical activity and that providers require additional training and resources in this area.

The California Department of Health Services formed the California Obesity Prevention Initiative (COPI) in 2000, as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s national effort in this area. COPI was charged with developing, implementing and evaluating a unified and coordinated initiative to address the societal, technological, and environmental influences that favor a sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy eating, overweight and obesity. COPI facilitated the development of a statewide infrastructure involving both internal and external partners. As part of this initiative the COPI Health Systems Work Group was formed to work collaboratively with Medi-Cal Managed Care health plans, providers and academic institutions to address obesity prevention as it relates to health care systems. This workshop will describe activities of this statewide initiative and illustrate how public health and medical programs can work together to promote healthy eating, physical activity and healthy weight.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the development and main activities of the California Obesity Prevention Initiative (COPI), a CDC funded grant project for statewide strategic planning for nutrition, physical activity and obesity prevention in California.
• Describe how the California Department of Health Services is working towards integrating lessons learned in public health about nutrition and physical activity promotion and applying them to a health systems approach.
• List activities of the COPI Health Systems Work Group.
• Articulate results of a Medi-Cal Managed Care Health Plans Obesity Prevention Services Survey and needs assessment.
• Discuss a focused review of evidence based literature related to nutrition, physical activity and weight management in health care settings.
• Discuss future directions for improving nutrition, physical activity and obesity prevention services in health care settings.

Keywords: Obesity, Nutrition

Related Web page: www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/ocpm/pdf/HEALTH%20SYSTEMS%20LIT.REVIEW.pdf

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: California Department of Health Services
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.