Lisa Brown

The framework outlines strategies and activities for Healthy Communities Action Teams (HCATs) to implement policy, systems, and environmental changes supporting healthy behaviors that prevent and reduce childhood obesity. It focuses on breastfeeding, increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, improving access to healthy retail options, reducing ultra-processed food intake, promoting physical activity, decreasing screen time, ensuring adequate sleep, reducing stress through mindfulness, and decreasing the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.

The Healthy Communities Action Team (HCAT) project workplan for 2026-2027 is focused on preventing and reducing childhood obesity in Virginia. The plan outlines objectives related to HCAT development and infrastructure building, as well as community-based obesity prevention practices. Key strategies involve forming, expanding, and sustaining HCATs, and implementing obesity prevention activities aligned with the Promising Practices Framework, targeting specific behaviors and PSE levels.