What we do
Poor nutrition and lack of exercise are major risk factors for obesity and other chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. They also contribute to stroke, certain cancers and depression. In the United States:
DNPAO focuses on supporting breastfeeding, promoting healthy childhoods, improving nutrition, increasing physical activity, preventing and reducing obesity, and achieving health equity by reducing disparities. DNPAO experts increase scientific evidence to guide public health practice and provide timely and relevant data to monitor public health outcomes and progress.
Priority
Making it easier to start and continue breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is the best initial source of nutrition for most infants and can reduce the risk of health conditions for both infant and mother. Although more than 80% of mothers initiate breastfeeding, about 60% stop prematurely.
Low breastfeeding rates add more than $3 billion annually to health care costs for women and children in the United States.
DNPAO promotes breastfeeding and infant feeding practices through the following methods:
- Help mothers who wish to breastfeed get the support they need during their hospital stay and after discharge. DNPAO helps hospitals improve obstetric care practices to support breastfeeding.
- Conduct a national Maternal Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) survey to measure progress in hospital support for breastfeeding.
- Improve continuity of care across communities with low breastfeeding rates. DNPAO promotes consistent, collaborative, and seamless delivery of high-quality services from prenatal until families stop breastfeeding.
- We provide parents and caregivers with information about feeding infant formula and share resources to introduce healthy foods and beverages to maintain good nutrition.
Promoting a healthy childhood
Proper nutrition and physical activity are essential for healthy growth and development. In contrast, poor nutrition and lack of physical activity lead to childhood obesity. Many different environments, including home, daycare, school, community, and clinic, influence a child’s diet and physical activity.
DNPAO investments will help improve children’s nutrition and physical activity in the following ways:
- Promotes best practices in nutrition, breastfeeding, screen time, and physical activity in early care and education (ECE) settings by helping states improve policies and programs to meet obesity prevention standards in ECE.
- Helping communities create safe places for children to walk and play.
- Collaborate with health care and community partners to increase availability and access to healthy weight management programs for families.
Healthy food choices made easy anywhere
People with healthy eating habits live longer and healthier lives. However, many groups have limited access to affordable healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables. These groups include people living in rural areas, tribal communities, and areas where most residents have low incomes. People with disabilities may also be affected. Additionally, people from some racial and ethnic groups may not have access to culturally preferred healthy foods.
DNPAO’s expertise and funding helps states, local communities and national partners increase healthy food and beverage choices.
Creating an environment where everyone can enjoy exercise safely
Physical activity protects health and helps prevent or improve many health conditions, including many of the causes of death in the U.S. Other potential benefits include improved educational achievement, improved mental health, healthier aging, and strengthened military forces. Inadequate physical activity costs the nation $117 billion annually in associated health care costs.
Unfortunately, many Americans live in areas that lack safe, convenient places to engage in physical activity. In response, DNPAO launched Active People, Healthy Nation.S.M. Help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027. Through this effort, DNPAO will:
- Partner with state and local governments to promote equitable improvements in community design that make physical activity and active transportation safer and more accessible for all.
- Educate the public about the health benefits of physical activity and track how much physical activity youth and adults are getting.
Investing in states and regions
The State Physical Activity and Nutrition Program (SPAN) provides funding to 17 states to implement interventions that support good nutrition, safe and accessible physical activity, healthy ECE environments, and breastfeeding. SPAN recipients work to reduce or eliminate health disparities related to poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and obesity.
The High Obesity Program (HOP) provides funding to 16 colleges and universities who partner with Community Extension Services to increase access to nutritious foods, safe and accessible physical activity, healthy weight programs for families, and healthy ECE environments in counties where more than 40% of the adult population is obese.
The Race and Ethnicity Approaches to Community Health (REACH) is at the forefront of CDC’s efforts to achieve health for all people across the United States, with a special focus on people experiencing health disparities.. REACH funds 50 state and local organizations to reduce health disparities among racial and ethnic groups. Recipients work in communities with high risk or incidence of chronic diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Through culturally tailored interventions, recipients improve access to the following services:
- Nutritious Foods
- Safe and accessible physical activity
- Breastfeeding information, knowledge and support
- Healthy ECE Environment
- Family Healthy Weight Program
- Smoke-free environment
- Routine Immunizations for Adults
