According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese, along with one-third of children.  Every year, tobacco use kills over 9,600 adults in Missouri, which also has the lowest cigarette tax in the nation and one of the highest smoking rates.  The City of Independence, Missouri, believes that inter-department cooperation and policy change could decrease local rates of obesity and tobacco use and drastically improve the lives of Independence residents.