Addressing Childhood Obesity Through Community-Led Solutions

Childhood obesity continues to be one of the most urgent public health challenges of our time. According to the World Health Organization, over 390 million children between the ages of 5 and 19 were classified as overweight or obese in 2022—and that number is projected to double by 2030. In the United States, nearly 20% of youth aged 2–19—approximately 14.7 million children—are affected. The roots of childhood obesity extend far beyond individual choices. This issue is shaped by a complex interplay of factors, including socioeconomic status, cultural norms, environmental barriers, food insecurity, and adverse childhood experiences.

In partnership with the UCSD Center for Community Health, our team recently supported developing a county-wide strategic plan to prevent childhood obesity through a policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) approach. The planning process was grounded in community voice and a co-design process with a multi-sector coalition focused on generating actionable strategies to increase access to healthy food, physical activity, and healthy places.

The work emphasized the relationship between the built environment and community health, recognizing that where people live, work, and play significantly impacts their ability to make healthy choices. Through a collective impact approach, we explored solutions such as improving school meals, increasing food access, activating green spaces, and integrating active design into urban planning to create safer places for active living. Our approach was rooted in the socio-ecological model, acknowledging that family, community, environment, and policy-level factors influence individual behaviors.

The collaborative aimed to move beyond short-term solutions toward sustainable, long-term change. By elevating community-driven ideas, the strategic plan established a roadmap that addresses the underlying conditions contributing to obesity and health disparities. Tackling childhood obesity requires collaboration across sectors and systems. By working collectively and developing multi-layered interventions, the group focused on developing an ecosystem that creates the conditions to improve health outcomes. When communities lead the way and a multi-sector approach is taken, we invest in long-term solutions to change the conditions that shape health, lead to behavioral changes, and develop a collective vision for shared responsibility in community health.