The Policy Opportunities Tool is designed to showcase the various policy strategies that support healthy active living for children and families. This tool is designed for healthcare professionals who have experience in advocacy and are interested in focusing their advocacy efforts on obesity prevention.
As healthcare professionals you regularly address healthy active living messages in your office with your patients and their families. This Policy Opportunities Tool identifies specific strategies to create healthier environments. The 5, 2, 1, 0 (BF + BMI) mnemonic can be a helpful tool in identifying the topical area to focus your advocacy efforts (encouraging 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, limiting recreational screen time to 2 hours per day, promoting at least 1 hour of physical activity daily and avoiding (0) sugar-sweetened beverages, breastfeeding-friendly environments and BMI screening/payment). As an advocate, there are many levels (i.e. practice, community, school, state, and Federal) in which you can work on positive policy change. Use your mouse to click on the cells of the matrix to learn more about the various healthy active living policy strategies.
The strategies featured in the Policy Opportunities Tool are recommended by national organizations, government and foundations such as the AAP, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the National Governor's Association (NGA).
For pediatricians who are less experienced advocates and would like to learn about advocacy, the Academy offers multiple resources including the AAP Advocacy Guide, the AAP Online Resident Advocacy Modules, and live training opportunities. Visit the AAP Advocacy site for more information.
| Practice | Community | Schools | State | Federal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 |
• Increased access to healthy food • Limited access to unhealthy food • Point of Purchase • Media Campaigns |
• Increased access to healthy food • Limited access to unhealthy food • Point of Purchase • Media Campaigns |
• Increased access to healthy food • Limited access to unhealthy food • Point of Purchase • Media Campaigns |
• Increased access to healthy food • Limited access to unhealthy food • Point of Purchase • Media Campaigns |
• Increased access to healthy food • Limited access to unhealthy food • Point of Purchase • Media Campaigns |
| 2 |
• Restrict screen time |
• Restrict screen time |
• Restrict screen time |
• Restrict screen time |
• Restrict screen time |
| 1 |
• Increased access for safe and attractive places for physical activity • Increased physical activity |
• Increased access for safe and attractive places for physical activity • Increased physical activity |
• Increased access for safe and attractive places for physical activity • Increased physical activity |
• Increased access for safe and attractive places for physical activity • Increased physical activity |
• Increased access for safe and attractive places for physical activity • Increased physical activity |
| 0 |
• Access to healthy beverages • Limit access to unhealthy beverages |
• Access to healthy beverages • Limit access to unhealthy beverages |
• Access to healthy beverages • Limit access to unhealthy beverages |
• Access to healthy beverages • Limit access to unhealthy beverages |
• Access to healthy beverages • Limit access to unhealthy beverages |
| BF |
• Breastfeeding friendly environments |
• Breastfeeding friendly environments |
• Breastfeeding friendly environments |
• Breastfeeding friendly environments |
• Breastfeeding friendly environments |
| BMI |
• Payment |
• BMI screening
|
• Payment |
• Payment • BMI screening |
• Payment
|
Last Updated
03/09/2022
Source
American Academy of Pediatrics