Wednesday, January 15, 2025
1/15/2025
Utah is one of the fastest growing and healthiest states but obesity is still a serious public health problem. One of four Utah adults is obese. Barely half of adults engage in the recommended level of physical activity. Less than half adults and high school students consume the recommended number of servings of fruits and vegetables each day (BRFSS 2016). Obesity even extends to the youngest population. Currently, 21.5% of elementary school children in Utah are overweight or obese, and one in five preschool-age children in Utah Head Start programs is either overweight (11.6%) or obese (8.2%) (Utah Height & Weight Study 2016; Head Start 2014). The Healthy Living through Environment, Policy and Improved Clinical Care Program (EPICC) at the Utah Department of Health is well positioned to improve the nutritional status and physical activity levels of all Utahns through partnerships, policy, systems and environmental changes. Since 2008, EPICC has demonstrated exceptional capacity to implement a statewide plan to reduce obesity. Initially funded by CDC-RFA-DP08-805 and later by CDC-RFA-DP13-1305 and CDC-RFA-DP14-1422, EPICC will build on prior work and existing partnerships to establish a culture of wellness. The purpose of requesting this funding is to foster normative policy, systems, and environmental changes through partnerships that will have a positive, statewide impact on the adoption of obesity-preventing health practices. EPICC will use this funding to improve nutrition and increase safe and accessible physical activity throughout the state while targeting high-burden disparate populations. EPICC will increase the number of places that implement food service guidelines through a healthy parks campaign in public recreation sites and conducting assessments, providing technical assistance, and establishing a recognition system for worksites and community venues. EPICC will increase the number of places that implement supportive breastfeeding interventions, building upon success of the Mountain West Mothers Milk Bank and the Stepping Up for Utah Babies program that leads hospitals through 10 steps to “baby-friendly” status. EPICC will be drive the effort to ensure that employers move toward compliance with the federal lactation laws in the workplace through resource development and technical assistance. EPICC will increase the number of ECEs that implement nutrition and physical activity standards by expanding activities that fall under the Spectrum of Opportunities framework and promoting its own “home-grown” model ECE Teaching Obesity Prevention in Childcare Settings (TOP Star) program. EPICC is known for its leadership among city planners and transportation partners, and will increase the number of places that implement community planning and transportation interventions that support safe and accessible physical activity through collaborations with LHDs, planning organizations, and community partners. EPICC will conduct rigorous process and outcome evaluation to track progress toward target objectives while ensuring continuous program improvement and integrity. EPICC’s work will be complemented through partnerships across the state. In particular, local health departments will conduct activities similar to the state, with an emphasis in high burden areas. This work will greatly reduce the toll of chronic disease and create a healthier population in Utah.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).