TRACK DESCRIPTIONS
The 6th Biennial Childhood Obesity Conference will build on the experiences of the past five conferences with presentations through eight themed tracks:
Tracks |
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Built Environment, Land Use, and Transportation Community Nutrition and Physical Activity Early Childhood (0-5) Education |
Agriculture and Food Systems
The Agriculture and Food Systems Track explores the impact of agricultural and food systems on a community’s physical, economic, social and environmental health. Sessions spotlight national and local research, innovative policies, grassroots efforts and emerging intervention strategies to combat health disparities, food insecurity, food access disparities and environmental concerns through the science of farming and the lifecycle of our food.
Basic and Applied Research
The Basic and Applied Research Track offers the latest information on childhood obesity prevention research. Sessions will present the most recent research on caloric value and metabolism of fats, perinatal contributors to obesity, the impact of the built environment on physical activity, and tools for assessing food and activity environments. Each session links research findings with implications for policy and practice in the prevention of childhood obesity.
Built Environment, Land Use, and Transportation
The Built Environment, Land Use and Transportation Track provides relevant, readily applicable information on the relationship between childhood obesity and community environments. Speakers will examine environmental change and policy efforts to support healthy eating and active living through the built environment. Sessions will address how community design has an impact on children's physical activity levels and access to healthy foods. With an emphasis on lower socioeconomic communities, speakers will identify promising strategies and tools for creating more healthful environments.
Community Nutrition and Physical Activity
The Community Nutrition and Physical Activity Track provides useful, in-depth information on increasing access to healthy food and physical activity opportunities in low-income, culturally diverse communities. Sessions will explore the concept of “Health in All Policies,” the development of persuasive obesity prevention policy agendas and the importance of youth involvement and leadership. Speakers will also address the unique challenges of rural populations and communities affected by violence.
Early Childhood (0-5) Education
The Early Childhood Education Track focuses on the critical stage of human development during which the foundation is laid for future behaviors. The importance of the preschool, childcare, home and community environments will be addressed with an emphasis on child feeding practices, physical activity and support systems. Sessions will cover successful practices for working with very young children and their families, new policies, education resources and interventions for promoting and supporting healthy eating and active play in children from infancy to age five.
Health Care Prevention Strategies
The Health Care Prevention Strategies Track offers the latest clinical information on prevention and treatment guidelines for childhood obesity as well as emerging trends in the health care field, both inside the clinic walls and as partners in community prevention. Sessions will focus on emerging national health care reform efforts and the emphasis on prevention. Health disparities among racially and ethnically diverse low-income children will be addressed. Speakers will present tools and resources for meeting individual health care needs related to childhood obesity and examine practices for population health.
Marketing to Kids
The Marketing to Kids Track explores the impact of food and beverage marketing on the health of children and highlights current marketing efforts that promote physical activity and healthier eating, including social media strategies. Sessions will reveal a broad range of tactics targeting children, families and ethnic groups with messages that encourage the consumption of unhealthy foods and beverages. Speakers will present strategies to mitigate these unhealthy messages and explore the importance of social and mobile media on public health.
School/After School Programs and Policies
The School/After School Programs and Policies Track highlights promising nutrition and physical activity strategies, practices and policies that address obesity prevention at the national, state and local levels. Speakers will share successes and lessons learned in engaging diverse stakeholders to create and sustain healthy school and after school environments through school meals, nutrition education and school polices, including joint use of school and community facilities and moderate to vigorous physical activity.
