Regional Forum Planning Toolkit

1. Regional Forum Planning Toolkit

2. What is the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity? The Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity (IAPO) is a statewide coalition comprised of a broad range of stakeholders working for a state-level response to the obesity epidemic. The IAPO works to shape and advance solutions to reverse dangerous obesity trends. IAPO supporters believe that Illinois must respond to the obesity epidemic by developing coordinated systems, policy improvements and investment on the scale of the problem. This initiative was launched and is coordinated by the Illinois Public Health Institute (IPHI). To learn more about the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity, please visit www.preventobesityil.org.  

3. Statement of Support • Illinois is experiencing an epidemic of obesity, contributing to increased rates of costly and debilitating chronic disease. • We need regular and reliable information about the state of obesity in Illinois to understand where action is needed the most. • Local, collaborative initiatives exist and are demonstrating how to make an impact on the problem, but inadequate funding means they are limited in scope, with limited capacity for evaluation and expansion to scale. • There’s growing national consensus on effective strategies to combat obesity which are not currently employed in Illinois. • A state-level response is needed. Development of coordinated systems, changes in policy and investment on the scale of the problem must be undertaken.

4. Illinois Alliance to Prevent ObesityApril-December 2010 Goal: To promote nutrition and physical activity policies and interventions to reverse obesity trends in Illinois

5. IAPO Outcome ObjectivesApril-December 2010 • Develop a State Obesity Action Roadmap • Organize regional forums in Cook County, Northern, Central, Eastern, and Southern Illinois to engage stakeholders in providing feedback/input • Synthesize ideas based on ten identified categories to improve nutrition and increase physical activity • Convene a statewide summit on December 3, 2010 to reach consensus on the State Obesity Action Roadmap • Build a visible movement to reduce obesity • Raise obesity reduction/prevention to the top of the policy and public health agendas • Disseminate and promote best practices and current information (developmental)

6. State Obesity Action Roadmap • Broad social changes in our environment and in the way in which we work, play, live and eat are major contributors to the obesity epidemic. • No single agency can attack this problem alone. • Build consensus for state-level policies and environmental changes to reverse the obesity trends. • Identify local policies and environmental changes for communities to pursue. • Highlight areas for coordination and collaboration.

7. State Obesity Action RoadmapCategories • Increase consumption of healthy food and beverages in relation to consumption of unhealthy food and beverages. • Promote healthy and affordable food consumption in schools, parks, child care centers and afterschool programs. • Increase access to food retailers who serve healthy and affordable food options. • Promote breastfeeding. • Increase opportunities for safe and affordable physical activity in communities. • Increase opportunities for safe and affordable physical activity in schools, childcare settings and after-school programs. • Promote healthy and active lifestyles in workplaces. • Promote safe and active transportation. • Establish a statewide health surveillance system that includes obesity indicators. • Increase access to comprehensive health care services.

8. IAPO Statewide Summit • Statewide Summit, December 3, 2010 to reach consensus on the State Obesity Action Roadmap • Advocate Christ Medical Center/Hope Children's Hospital at the Nurse Conference Center in Oak Lawn, IL • More information to come

10. What do we know…about the nature of our problems?

11. Healthy Cities and Communities

12. Current nutritional default $$$$$ Source: Rudd Center for Food Policy - Yale

13. Current physical activity default

14. Places that have developed safe, activity-friendly environments with access to affordable fresh, healthy foods will have healthier people.

15. Small Group Facilitation Process • Determine groups based on roadmap categories • Can be flexible to meet group size and interests • Encourage people to speak from their expertise and perspective of region • Discuss example recommendations • Is it implemented/planned in your region? • Is it feasible from your region’s perspective? • Brainstorm other ideas that can impact the topic • What are opportunities for collaboration? • Are there resource opportunities being missed? • Prioritize top 3-5 options as a small group

16. Large Group Voting • Each small group reports their top ideas to the full group • Each participant gets one vote for each category • When voting, encourage participants to consider: • What is happening that we can build on? • What’s desirable that may be more winnable? • What’s desirable that may be more challenging? • What’s feasible in your region that you’d like to see considered at the statewide summit?

17. Get Involved! More IAPO Activities • Candidate Questionnaire : Gauge a candidate’s understanding of the issue and commitment to addressing the epidemic. The questionnaire will be available online. • Action: Encourage participants to send the questionnaire to candidates running for state office from all parties. • Candidate Forums: Questions will be available for IAPO supporters to pose at candidate debates and forums across the state. • Action: Encourage participants to attend forums and ask the questions. • Letters to the Editor: A letter to the editor is a free and effective way to build visibility and bring attention to the issue. • Action: Use the sample LTE to write letters and submit to local papers.

18. Contact Information • Illinois Public Health Institute • Karen Berg, IAPO Project Consultant, Karen.Berg@iphionline.org • Katherine Swain, IAPO Project Associate, Katherine.swain@iphionline.org • Office: (312) 850-4744/Fax: (312) 850-4040 • Falk Associates (Media Relations and PR Consultants) • Amy Falk, Principal, contact@falkpr.com • Claire Vartabedian, claire@falkpr.com • Office: 847-675-2580/Fax: 847-675-2582