Shortchanging the Public's Health

Preventing chronic disease is a critical part of improving America's health and reducing health care costs. More work needs to be done to determine factors, such as obesity and environmental causes, which lead to chronic disease, and to help Americans reduce the presence of these factors in their daily lives. Areas needing improvement include:

• Expanding environmental health tracking to all 50 states and D.C.


• Improving nutrition, and promoting physical activity in daily life, especially in schools.


• Covering preventive health benefits such as screenings and nutrition counseling.


• Increasing nutritional standards, and the availability of nutritious foods, in federal food programs.


• Enhancing labeling to enable Americans to make healthier choices.


• Educating the public on the consequences of obesity and steps Americans can take to avoid them.


• Upgrading the federal long-term commitment to combating obesity.


• Expanding and focusing obesity research on effective individuals and population-based intervention strategies.

Congressional Briefing

Trust for America's Health held two briefings for congressional staff on the report, Prevention for a Healthier America: Investments in Disease Prevention Yield Significant Savings. Presentations are below:

Prevention for a Healthier America: Investments in Disease Prevention Yield Significant Savings, Stronger Communities
Jeffrey Levi, PhD, Executive Director, Trust for America's Health and Barbara Ormond, PhD, Research Associate, The Urban Institute

Community Successes: Prevention is the Prescription
Larry Cohen, MSW, Prevention Institute Founder and Executive Director

Activate Attleboro: A Community Responds, Pioneering Healthier Communities
Duane German, CEO, YMCA of Attleboro

Building Strong Kids, Strong Families, Strong Communities
Julie Sielawa, YWCA

Correspondence to Policymakers

TFAH Comments on Healthy People 2020 Organizing Framework (April 2008)
Read the comments

Letter in Support of Environmental Health Tracking and Biomonitoring Funds (March 2008)
Read the letter

Letter Urging Congress to Enhance Obesity-Related Provisions in SCHIP (October 2007)
Read the letter

Letter Urging Congress to Fund Environmental Health Programs at House-passed levels (October 2007)
Read the letter

Letter in Support of the Coordinated Environmental Public Health Network Act of 2007 (September 2007)
Read the letter

Letter in Support of H.R. 3447, the Surgeon General Independence Act (August 2007)
Read the letter

Letter in Support of H.R. 3257, the Fitness Integrated with Teaching Kids Act (August 2007)
Read the letter

Letter Urging Support for changes to 2007 Farm Bill (May 2007)
Read the letter

Letter in Support of S.1067/H.R. 398, the Healthy Places Act of 2007 and S.1068, the Healthy Communities Act of 2007 (April 2007)
Read the letter

Letter in Support of S.1038/H.R. 1748, the Workforce Health Improvement Program Act of 2007 (April 2007)
Read the letter

Letter in Support of S.771/H.R. 1363, the Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act of 2007 (April 2007)
Read the letter

Letter in Support of H.R. 1224, the Strengthening Physical Education Act of 2007 (April 2007)
Read the letter

Letter Urging Senate and House to Increase Funding for Environmental Health Programs (March 2007)
Read the letter

Letter in support of S. 651, the PLAY Every Day Act (February 2007)
Read the letter

Trust for America's Health Supports Push For Major Farm Bill Changes (January 22, 2007)
Read the press release

Letters on Health Information Technology (May 2006)
Letter to chairs and ranking members of the House Ways and Means Committee
Letter to chairs and ranking members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee

Testimony

Written Testimony of Jeff Levi, PhD, Executive Director, Trust for America's Health, Submitted to U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Education and Labor (May 2007)
Using School Wellness Plans to Help Fight Childhood Obesity