Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity

Overweight and obesity are among the most urgent health challenges facing our country today. Excess weight contributes to many of the leading causes of death in the United States, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some types of cancer. More than a third of adults in the U.S. – over 72 million people – and 17% of children in the U.S. are obese. From 1980 to 2000, obesity rates for adults doubled and rates for children tripled.

CDC has identified obesity, nutrition, and physical activity as winnable battles. With additional effort and support for evidence-based, cost-effective strategies that we can implement now, we will have a significant impact on our nation's health.

This nutrition, physical activity, and obesity briefing folder provides a snapshot of the context and background for this priority area, as well as descriptions of some of the systems, policy, and programmatic interventions pursued by CDC and our public health partners at the federal, state and local levels. This information will be updated periodically as new data or relevant information becomes available.

For more information or if you have questions about the materials provided here, please contact adprogram@cdc.gov

Nutrition, Physical Activity, Obesity Briefing Materials:

• Introduction letter from CDC Director Dr. Thomas R. Frieden [PDF - 58KB]
• PowerPoint slides, which can be tailored for your use. [PPT - 6.53MB]
• At-a-glance, which provides an overview of the major issues, CDC's role in obesity prevention, and future directions and opportunities
• Vital Signs - Adult Obesity, which discusses the problem of adult obesity prevalence, and how both individuals and policymakers can address it
• Vital Signs – Hospital Support for Breastfeeding, which outlines how preventing obesity begins in hospitals

Supplemental materials include:

• U.S. Obesity Trends and Maps
• High Sodium, Low Potassium Diet Linked to Increased Risk of Death
• Public Health Grand Rounds: The Childhood Obesity Epidemic: Threats and Opportunities
• Children’s Food Environment State Report Card
• Scientific articles
  • MMWR: School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity
  • MMWR: Physical Activity Levels of High School Students – United States, 2010
  • MMWR: Beverage Consumption Among High School Students – United States, 2010
  • MMWR: State-Specific Obesity Prevalence Among Adults [PDF - 647KB]
  • MMWR: Usual Sodium Intakes Compared with Current Dietary Guidelines–United States, 2005–2008
  • MMWR: Sodium Intake Among Adults—United States, 2005–2006
  • MMWR: Application of Lower Sodium Intake Recommendations to Adults—United States, 1999–2006
• Community Guide Recommendations
  • Promoting Good Nutrition
  • Obesity Prevention and Control
  • Promoting Physical Activity
• Sodium Reduction Guidance
  • Improving the Food Environment Through Nutrition Standards: A Guide for Government Procurement 
  • Under Pressure: Strategies for Sodium Reduction in the School Environment 
  • Under Pressure: Strategies for Sodium Reduction in the Hospital Environment 
• Brochures
  • State Indicator Report on Physical Activity, 2010 [PDF - 1.48MB]
  • Breastfeeding Report Card – United States, 2010 [PDF - 2.20MB]
  • State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, 2009 [PDF - 1.23MB]
  • State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, 2009, National Action Guide [PDF - 156KB]
• Other supporting materials
  • National Report on Biochemical Indicators of Diet and Nutrition in the U.S. Population, 1999-2002: Executive Summary [PDF - 140KB]