"Healthy People in
Healthy Communities"
State Plan and Target Areas
The State Obesity Prevention Plan - a plan engaging individuals, organizations, communities, government and industry.
Target Areas
Learn more about the specific actions being taken within the target areas of the obesity plan. Resource guides are also available.
- Government and Partner Organizations
- Health Care
- Communities
- Schools
- Worksites
- Early Childcare
- Breastfeeding
- Individuals and Families
Government and Partner Organizations
Agencies and organization will make formal agreements to collaborate and provide leadership, active involvement and commitment to meet the Fit & Healthy Vermonters objectives.
- Vermont Department of Education
- Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
- Vermont Agency of Transportation
Health Care
Vermonters will be served by a health care system that invests in and recognizes quality.
- Quality improvement measures will include evidence-based assessments and interventions to reduce the proportion of people who are overweight or obese.
- Primary care providers (pediatrics, family practice and internal medicine) and related health care professionals will routinely measure and record Body Mass Index (BMI) and provide counseling and/or referral for patients.
Resources
- Provider Toolkit: Promoting Healthy Weight in Adult Primary Care (pdf) 1.26 MB, 21 pages
- Adult Body Mass Index (BMI) Chart (pdf)
- Provider Toolkit: Promoting Healthier Weight in Pediatrics (pdf) 4 MB 68 pages
Communities
Vermonters will live in communities that support healthy eating and physical activity.
- Planning projects include comprehensive plans. Zoning and subdivision ordinances will include ways to increase accessibility and availability of opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity.
- Cities and towns will have an organized physical activity program that is accessible to all community members.
- Community organizations including faith-based, non-profits and social clubs will support members in increasing healthy behaviors.
Resources:
- How is your town? Check the Searchable Inventory of Local Physical Activity Resources
- Vermont Recreation and Parks Association
- Vermont Planning Information Center (VPIC)
- Coordinated Healthy Activity, Motivation & Prevention Programs (CHAMPPS) - learn about grants that fund comprehensive community health and wellness projects.
Schools
- All Vermont schools will have a nutrition and physical activity policy in place.
- Schools will implement programs or services based on their written policy.
- Schools will collaborate with local partners to increase opportunities for nutrition education and physical activity.
Resources:
*All documents pdf format
- Vermont Nutrition and Fitness Policy guidelines
- School Wellness Policy Implementation Guide
- Coordinated School Health
- Fit and Healthy Kids
- School Health and Wellness fact sheet
- Childhood Obesity fact sheet
- Youth Overweight and Nutrition - County Breakdown
- Competitive Foods in Schools
Worksites
- Employers will have policies in place to promote healthy behaviors.
- Employers will offer physical activity and nutrition programs that support healthy behaviors among employees.
Resources:
- Worksite Wellness Program and Resource Guide
- Breastfeeding Friendly Employer Project
- Quit@Work- help employees quit smoking
- Worksite Wellness fact sheet (pdf)
Early Childcare
- Licensed early childcare providers will have a nutrition and physical activity policy.
- Licensed early childcare providers will implement programs or services based on their written policy.
- Licensed early childcare providers will have the skills necessary to provide a healthy nutrition and physical activity environment for children.
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding will be the norm for infant, and part of a baby's healthy diet for a year or longer.
- Breastfeeding practices and policies that support breastfeeding will be implemented by health care providers and insurers.
- Vermont hospitals will adopt maternity care practices to become "baby friendly" hospitals in support of breastfeeding.
- Employers will provide employee benefits and services that support breastfeeding families.
- Peer counseling programs to support breastfeeding mothers will be increased.
Resources:
Individuals and Families
Individuals and families will be fully informed and have the skills to manage their health to prevent obesity and related chronic diseases.
- Individuals and families will receive information and tools that increase knowledge and skills for heathy eating and physical activity.
- Individuals and families will have access to programs on physical activity, healthy eating, cooking or shopping.
- Programs will be available to individuals and families at low or no cost and free of barriers to participation such as childcare and transportation services.