Partnership for a Healthier America Releases First Report on Private Sector Progress in Childhood Obesity Efforts

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Mar 07, 2013, 06:35 ET

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), which works with Honorary Chair First Lady Michelle Obama and the private sector to end childhood obesity in a generation, today released its first report on the progress of private sector commitments to address the epidemic.

The report comes as PHA kicks off its second Building a Healthier Future Summit in Washington D.C., where leaders from across the public and private sectors are coming together to identify solutions to the childhood obesity crisis in the United States.

"Our partner organizations are making changes to their operations and their business practices that help make healthier choices easier for busy parents and families," said PHA CEO Lawrence A. Soler. "This report is about holding a mirror up to efforts against those commitments—many of which are multi-year—and giving the public a clear understanding of their progress."

PHA requires its partners do more than just issue a press release—instead partners must agree to measureable outcomes that are verified by third parties and reported publicly by PHA. The 2012 Annual Progress Report is a glimpse at where each partner stands. While the vast majority of PHA's partners are just beginning a multi-year journey, others are in full swing—and a few have completed their commitments.

Major data points include:

2.95 million kids got moving in 2012
8,100 new physical activity opportunities became available for kids in 2012
1,713 cities had physical activity promotion events in 2012
141 new or renovated grocery stores or other retail locations have opened in or around food deserts
507,293 low-access individuals have been served by new or renovated grocery stores so far
$18 million has been spent in the last 18 months in financing for new retail channels and innovative food distribution programs

"We know the private sector alone cannot solve this crisis—it will take work from everyone, including communities, schools, non-profits, governments, families and more," Soler said. "PHA commends our partners for the remarkable goals they have set to help make it easier for kids and families to make the healthy choice."

The report is available online at http://ahealthieramerica.org/about/progress-report/.

The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) is devoted to working with the private sector to ensure the health of our nation's youth by solving the childhood obesity crisis. In 2010, PHA was created in conjunction with – but independent from – First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! effort. PHA is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that is led by some of the nation's most respected health and childhood obesity experts. PHA brings together public, private and nonprofit leaders to broker meaningful commitments and develop strategies to end childhood obesity. Most important, PHA ensures that commitments made are commitments kept by working with unbiased third parties to monitor and publicly report on the progress our partners are making. For more information about PHA, please visit www.aHealthierAmerica.org and follow PHA on Twitter @PHAnews.

SOURCE Partnership for a Healthier America