From Your Health Journal…..”Another great local story about a community trying to make a difference in keeping kids (and adults) healthy, while fighting obesity. Over the last few days, we have read about some states lowering their childhood obesity rates, but this is only in isolated cities. On national level, the numbers appear to still be high. Is there hope in sight? When I read articles like this at the local level, I see some hope, as communities are coming together to make a difference. A good read, highly recommend this article.”

From the article…..

On Thursday, December 6, 2012, the Community Advisory Board for the Center for Community Health Partnerships (SCTR/CCHP), at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), hosted a leadership summit bringing together 91 key representatives from across the tri-county region. Invitees were selected based on their commitment to enriching and improving the greater Charleston area’s approach to conquering the region’s obesity epidemic.

The South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute (SCTR) and MUSC’s Boeing Center for Children’s Wellness sponsored the event. Representatives from non-profit organizations, schools, media, academic institutions, community and advocacy groups, city and state representatives, hospital systems, private foundations, and individual community leaders combined efforts to identify evidence-based approaches and innovative solutions across the region and state of South Carolina. Designated topics were based on recommendations by the Institute of Medicine (May 2012), which included integrating physical activity into daily living, making healthy food options available everywhere, marketing what matters for a healthy life, activating employers and healthcare professionals, and strengthening schools as the heart of health. A sixth topic, measuring community progress, was also included for evaluation and research purposes.

Karl F. Dean, mayor of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee and Christopher Kerrigan, president and CEO of Trident United Way, keynoted the event. Panels, discussion groups and breakout sessions ensured collaboration and facilitated a coordinated community response. Efforts were made to identify the potential for early successes and leverage previous lessons learned to prioritize resources.

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