Policy Resources

There is a strong and growing interest among public health professionals in the broader societal trends and policies that affect physical activity behavior. Policies can be defined as laws, regulations, and rules (both formal and informal). Polices can be directed toward creating supportive environments and can also have direct effects on behavior by providing the basis for educational and behavior change programs, for instance. The following links provide policy and legislation resources for professionals working in the physical activity, nutrition and obesity arenas.

• Nutrition Policy Resources
• Physical Activity Policy Resources
• Overweight and Obesity Policy Resources
• Other Policy Resources
  Resources covering multiple topics.
• Chronic Disease State Policy Tracking System
  

  The Chronic Disease State Policy Tracking System is a state-based searchable database that provides policy information for preventing and controlling chronic diseases. Currently this database contains nutrition, physical activity, and obesity data. This system provides a single data source for identifying and tracking selected policies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The database can be used to conduct policy research and help educate public health professionals, researchers, and decision makers about state-level policies and programs to address chronic diseases. The types of policies collected include state legislation and agency regulations. Information includes bill number, bill history, year, and legislative sponsor. An abstract of the policy and its current status also is provided.

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