A. Healthy Eating and Food System Drivers
The food system involves all individuals and organizations involved in processes from seed to table. Possible abstract topics:food insecurity, farm-to-institution programs, relationship-building with food system partners, the role of food entrepreneurs, food policy councils and other coalitions, nudges for healthy eating, implementing nutrition standards in child care settings. |
B. Active Living and Environmental Drivers
These include land-use, urban design, built environment, and transportation systems. Possible abstract topics: relationship-building; cross-sectoral partnerships; incorporating health elements in master, comprehensive, regional, sustainability, and transportation plans; practices to increase the use of parks, playgrounds, and greenspace; improving walkability and active transportation, unintended impact of healthy design on health equity and social justice. |
C. Game Changing Science and Medicine
This section will cultivate new understandings of recent scientific findings or discoveries that may improve the treatment and prevention of weight gain, obesity, and associated physical and mental health problems; and how we think about the biological causes of and complications from obesity. Possible abstract topics: New findings on the role of obesity and other chronic diseases, behavioral health and obesity, role of trauma and early life experiences on later risk for obesity, epigenetics and obesity, impact of maternal health and breastfeeding. |
D. Social Forces and Individual Psychology
This section deals with cultural and social forces that impact both health seeking behaviors, perceptions about body image, attitudes about obesity, and the public response to the obesity epidemic. Possible abstract topics: Effective messaging, negative media exposure, the weight dominant health paradigm, obesity policy inertia, body image, eating disorders, obesity transition and health equity |
E. Local Ecological Systems
Households, schools, worksites, churches, and communities are obesity prevention sites in local ecological systems. This section offers an opportunity for practitioners working on place-based obesity prevention interventions to share their learnings about the systems dynamics during implementation. Possible abstract topics: Using systems and design thinking for community transformation, lessons learned about systems dynamics, systems mapping, transdisciplinary and cross-sectoral collaboration. |
F. Systems Approaches to State and National Policy Change
The section focuses on ways to tackle and coordinate obesity prevention strategies at state, regional and national levels. Possible abstract topics: Regional, cross-jurisdictional, or multi-state challenges and strategies, mapping systems dynamics in southern states, systems approach to policy change, using a systems lens to learn from unsuccessful policy change efforts and incorporating multi-sectoral actions at the state level. |