An Evaluation Framework for Obesity Prevention Policy Interventions

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Jennifer Leeman, DrPH, MDiv; Janice Sommers, MPH; Maihan Vu, DrPH; Jan Jernigan, PhD; Gayle Payne, PhD; Diane Thompson, MPH, RD; Claire Heiser, MS, RD; Rosanne Farris, PhD; Alice Ammerman, DrPH, RD

Suggested citation for this article: Leeman J, Sommers J, Vu M, Jernigan J, Payne G, Thompson D, et al. An Evaluation Framework for Obesity Prevention Policy Interventions. Prev Chronic Dis 2012;9:110322. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd9.110322

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Abstract

As the emphasis on preventing obesity has grown, so have calls for interventions that extend beyond individual behaviors and address changes in environments and policies. Despite the need for policy action, little is known about policy approaches that are most effective at preventing obesity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and others are funding the implementation and evaluation of new obesity prevention policies, presenting a distinct opportunity to learn from these practice-based initiatives and build the body of evidence-based approaches. However, contributions from this policy activity are limited by the incomplete and inconsistent evaluation data collected on policy processes and outcomes. We present a framework developed by the CDC-funded Center of Excellence for Training and Research Translation that public health practitioners can use to evaluate policy interventions and identify the practice-based evidence needed to fill the gaps in effective policy approaches to obesity prevention.

Acknowledgments

The work reported in this paper was funded through CDC grant no. U48 DP000059 to the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at the University of North Carolina (UNC), Chapel Hill. Jennifer Leeman’s work on the paper was also supported by the UNC Mentored Career Development Program in Comparative Effectiveness (grant no. K12 HS019468 from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality).

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Author Information

Corresponding Author: Jennifer Leeman, DrPH, MDiv, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Carrington Hall, CB no. 7460, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7460. Telephone: 919-966-3648. E-mail: jleeman@email.unc.edu.
Author Affiliations: Janice Sommers, Maihan Vu, Alice Ammerman, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Jan Jernigan, Gayle Payne, Diane Thompson, Claire Heiser, Rosanne Farris, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.