Coordinated Efforts Reversing the Trend of Childhood Obesity in New York State

As a result of these NYS initiatives, obesity among low-income WIC children aged 2–5 years declined by 15%, from 16.7% in 2003 to 14.2% in 2011. In addition:

• Children who participated in Eat Well Play Hard were more likely to
  • Eat vegetables daily and drink 1% or fat-free milk
  • Choose vegetables for snacks and be offered vegetables by their parents
• NAP SACC was used in 254 childcare facilities, reaching 2,250 staff and 11,430 children. Childcare providers who completed the intervention improved nutrition and physical activity practices. Those with written policies sustained their improvements 2–3 years after participating in NAP SACC.
• NYS became the first state to revamp WIC food packages to reflect the latest science on healthy diets and obesity.
• Ninety-four WIC agencies reached 500,000 women, infants, and children through Fit WIC, a low-cost physical activity intervention. Participating staff reported healthy lifestyle changes, increased job satisfaction, and greater comfort in discussing physical activity with participants. Participating parents said their children watched less TV and played outside more.
• NYS convened a state-level partnership to help childcare providers adopt obesity prevention best practices. As a result, new nutrition and physical activity standards were added to the state’s childcare quality rating improvement system and regulations for the state’s 14,500 childcare providers, including
  • Mandatory serving of low-fat milk, water, or 100% juice, unless the parent supplies alternatives
  • Mandatory opportunities for physical activity every day
  • Limited screen time
• To help more WIC participants start and continue breastfeeding, the WIC program trained WIC educators as certified lactation counselors, started peer counselor programs in each local WIC agency, conducted social marketing campaigns, and worked with healthcare providers to promote breastfeeding benefits. Breastfeeding initiation rates among WIC mothers increased from 72% in 2008 to 79% in 2012.

• Isolated initiatives are not sufficient to improve and sustain obesity prevention practice. State agencies can establish statewide obesity prevention practices and standards and monitor performance over time.
• Nutrition, physical activity, screen time, and breastfeeding interventions can help improve practices in early childcare and education centers.
• Formal partnerships should focus on broad, commonly held goals rather than specific programmatic interests. This was essential to engaging key stakeholders, including state agencies and organizations.