Healthy Communities: Food Systems, Healthy Eating and Physical Activity
Updated January 2010
This page is designed to provide easy access to the combined resources of NCSL and other organizations about food systems, healthy eating and physical activity to support healthy communities.
Legislative Tracking Resources
State legislatures are involved directly and indirectly in adopting policies that affect healthy eating, physical activity and food systems to deliver healthy foods to diverse communities. Policies that support eating healthy foods, and the more complex task of making them available in communities, combine with efforts such as designing the places we live, work, study and play to make it easier to be physically active by walking and biking. A complex mix of health, economic, social, cultural and behavioral factors contribute to the growing number of obese Americans. During the past decade, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in America. Sixty-six million Americans are now overweight or obese. Being overweight or obese increases the likelihood of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers, and may shorten life expectancy for children.
Physical Activity, Nutrition & Obesity Resources
Food Systems to Support Healthy Communities - Healthy food systems help ensure that nutritious foods and beverages are available and affordable in schools, workplaces, grocery and other food stores, workplaces, restaurants and entertainment sites, and other community venues. Food producers, growers, marketers and consumers are all engaged in initiatives to enhance the availability of nutritious foods through food production and distribution systems.
Healthy Food- Healthy eating is choosing and consuming a nutritionally balanced diet. A range of factors and policies influence individuals' food choices and the quality and types of foods available in schools, workplaces and communities. It's important to educate and enable children and adults to make healthy food choices, and to support healthy food environments where children learn, where people work and in culturally diverse communities, including making healthy foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables more accessible and affordable.
 Physical Activity - Healthy community environments support physical activity as a part of everyday life. It's important to teach children how to be physically active at a young age through physical education and other opportunities for physical activity and wellness in schools. Active living can also be facilitated through the built environment — by designing neighborhoods, transportation systems, buildings, parks and open space — to allow more active lives.
Obesity Overview Page - State-by-state information about the prevalence of obesity, obesity costs and general background information on the topic can be found at this link.
NOTE: NCSL provides links to other Web sites from time to time for information purposes only. Providing these links does not necessarily indicate NCSL's support or endorsement of the site.
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