Obesity Strategies: What Can Be Done

At a glance

Obesity is a complex and costly chronic disease with many contributing factors. Access to healthy, affordable foods and safe, convenient places for physical activity can impact obesity. Addressing obesity requires organizations and people to work together to create communities, environments, and systems that support healthy, active lifestyles for all.

Woman selecting apples at a grocery store and using a motorized shopping

The federal government is:

  • Studying what works in communities to make it easier for people to be more physically active and have a healthier diet.
  • Monitoring trends in obesity and related risk factors.
  • Developing and promoting  and .
  • Helping families with lower incomes get affordable, nutritious foods through programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and farm-to-education programs.
  • Supporting children and families who are at higher risk for obesity through services at Federally Qualified Health Centers, Head Start, WIC, and other service agencies.
  • Funding programs and providing training and resources for initiatives that promote healthy eating, food and nutrition security, and physical activity.
  • Working with state, tribal, local, and territory governments, academia, the private sector, and nonprofit and community groups to implement the —to end hunger and reduce diet-related diseases and disparities.
  • Supporting the HHS initiative in collaboration with other federal partners, organizations, and communities to prevent, manage, and treat diet-related disease states and promote health and wellbeing through food and nutrition. The Food Is Medicine initiative is part of the . Resources to advance Food Is Medicine can be found .

Some states and communities are:

Two priority obesity-prevention strategies for state and local programs are:

In addition, state and local programs are:

Health Care providers can:

  • Use respectful and non-stigmatizing, in all .
  • Measure patients' weight and height, calculate body mass index (BMI) as part of a comprehensive assessment, and discuss how BMI might relate to health.
  • Consider the many risk factors for obesity when making a diagnosis and discussing with patients. These factors include nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress, hormones, medications, and others.
  • Use the new ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes for adult and child obesity for a more accurate way to classify obesity and severity of obesity (available October 1, 2024). Learn more using these .
  • Refer patients with obesity who are interested in losing weight to improve their health to intensive lifestyle programs, including Family Healthy Weight Programs and the National Diabetes Prevention Program.
  • Discuss the use of , , and other for excess weight.
  • Connect patients and families with community services to help them access healthy foods, including programs. Share ways and places to be physically active.
  • Seek about obesity.
Man getting a serving of fruit from a large bowl.
Healthy eating patterns include plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Everyone can take steps to:

  • Eat healthy foods and drink healthy beverages, following the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Use:
  • Get the recommended amount of physical activity.
  • Get enough sleep.
  • Manage stress.
  • Talk to your health care provider about whether weight is a health concern. If so, discuss available obesity treatment options to help reduce potential health risks.
  • Get involved in local efforts, such as local committees and , to improve options for healthier foods and physical activity.