Healthy Ohio submits obesity prevention plan to Governor

The Ohio Department of Health's Office of Healthy Ohio yesterday submitted to the Governor its Ohio Obesity Prevention Plan (Source: Office of Healthy Ohio releases Ohio Obesity Prevention Plan, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette/AP, March 31, 2009).

On Sept. 19, Gov. Ted Strickland issued a directive to the Office of Healthy Ohio to develop a comprehensive obesity prevention plan for the state by March 31.  A lengthy list of objectives and metrics was developed around three central goals:

• Improving physical activity options and opportunities
• Improving nutrition and access to healthy food choices and limit access to unhealthy food and beverage choices
• Improving the coordination of policy resources directed to the prevention and reduction of obesity, especially among those populations most at risk

“Launching a comprehensive effort to prevent obesity is of critical importance to both the physical and fiscal health of Ohioans,” according to the report’s executive summary. “However, difficult economic times and resulting major public and private budget challenges cannot be ignored. Recognizing those fiscal constraints, the plan recommends specific priority areas and a realistic time line to achieve successes over the next five years.”

The full report (pdf, 131 pages) and an executive summary (pdf, 18 pages) are posted on Healthy Ohio’s Web site.