The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just released its first comprehensive set of evidence-based recommendations on how local governments can address the nation’s obesity epidemic with policies and programs that encourage physical activity and healthy eating. The report reflects the experience of several ICMA member communities that have taken the lead on this issue.

The report was released at the “Weight of the Nation,” a conference hosted by the CDC on obesity prevention and control that focused on the severe public health challenges that loom in the wake of the obesity epidemic. Participants heard about the rapid rise of related serious conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer. They also heard about newly published research showing the medical costs associated with obesity to be as high as $147 billion annually.

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report marks the culmination of the CDC’s partnership with ICMA to identify what cities, towns, and counties are doing nationwide to enable their residents to lead healthier lives. ICMA’s Center for Performance Measurement™ (CPM) collaborated with the CDC over the past year to identify promising strategies to address obesity, many of which already are being used in ICMA member communities to address various public policy goals. They range from working with school districts to ensure that schools are built in walkable neighborhoods to adopting mixed-use zoning to promote the development of homes, shops, and workplaces in close proximity.

Several ICMA members who participate in CPM and in ICMA’s Healthy Communities Ambassadors network—from the cities of Albany, Oregon; Casper, Wyoming; Decatur, Georgia; Kirkland, Washington; and Lynchburg, Virginia—worked with public health experts to develop the list of measures. CPM has since added a new template with these measures to the system for its members use to measure their performance on various local government services.

ICMA will showcase the work of the CDC-CPM partnership, as well as the efforts of its members in Albany and Decatur who are combating obesity, at the ICMA Annual Conference in Montreal. They’ll share their experiences in a special session titled “Obesity in Your Community: Why You Should Care and What You Can Do” on Tuesday, September 15, 12:30–1:45 p.m.

Copies of the CDC’s “Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States” and a detailed implementation and measurement guide are available for free download as PDF documents here.