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In 2007, Families CAN, First 5 Contra Costa, the Contra Costa Child Care Council, Kaiser Permanente, and Contra Costa County Health Services joined together to form HAB45 —a collaborative with an explicit focus on preventing and reducing obesity among children under age five. In the first major act as a collaborative, these partners embarked on an extensive strategic planning effort with consultation from Prevention Institute. From its inception, HAB45 has embedded meaningful processes and platforms for engaging residents and agencies in all collaborative efforts. The planning process included community forums, which were offered in Spanish and English and attended by 130 parent residents, as well as focus groups attended by 85 key staff from local child-serving organizations.
In 2008, after analyzing the input solicited at these community forums and focus groups, incorporating research and best-practices, and extensive consultation with Prevention Institute, the collaborative released the HAB45 Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Obesity in Contra Costa County. To this day, the Action Plan serves as HAB45’s strategic blueprint and common agenda to prevent obesity among young children. Below are the key strategies laid out in our Action Plan.
In 2017, HAB45 formally expanded its focus to encompass overall health equity for children ages 0-5 and their families. While this shift will allow HAB45 to tackle a broad range of issues impacting Contra Costa communities, we remain committed to expanding opportunities for breastfeeding, healthy food & beverages, and physical activity in diverse settings.
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Local Strategies to Prevent Childhood Obesity (ages 0-5)
1. Support and promote breastfeeding and the use of breastmilk as the normal way to feed infants, for at least the first year of life
2. Increase the availability, accessibility and demand for affordable, healthy foods in all neighborhoods
3. Increase the availability and utilization of safe places to play and be physically active for all young children and their families
4. Improve the food and physical activity environment in preschool and childcare settings by offering high quality nutritious foods and opportunities for physical activity and play
5. Support the elimination of and reduce the exposure to marketing of foods of low nutritional value to children
6. Encourage the reduction of TV and other screen time for children 0-5
7. Assure that families and young children receive quality preventive care through pregnancy and early childhood
8. Ensure that key community sectors provide parents and other care providers with the information and support they need to make healthy eating and activity choices for their children