Communities Creating Healthy Environments to Combat Obesity

Preliminary Evaluation Findings From Two Case Studies

Abstract

While there is growing faith in community organizing to influence policy as a way to improve the built environment and increase food or recreational equity, relatively little research is available examining the successes and challenges of community organizing in Latino communities attempting to reduce obesity. Using process and outcome evaluation data, we present preliminary findings from a study of two community-based organizations that are making efforts to increase access to physical activity and access to healthy foods in predominantly Latino areas. The organizations are part of Communities Creating Healthy Environments (CCHE), a national initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to prevent childhood obesity. Both community-based organizations were able to achieve redistribution of public resources to advance their CCHE objectives. We discuss the study’s implications, including the need for public policy research around obesity that examines community organizing as an intervention.