Using Evidence to Create Active Communities: Stories from the Field—Policy and Research with Chicago’s Child Care Centers: a Commentary to Accompany the Active Living Research Supplement to Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Excerpt

The Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC) is a nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention program housed at the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago [1]. This network connects hundreds of organizations to implement evidence-based approaches to protect children from the obesity epidemic. It has been identified as a leading community model by the Institute of Medicine, the American Medical Association, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CLOCC’s primary focus is on children aged 0 to 5 years, their caregivers, and their communities. Its work is led by a multi-disciplinary team of staff and advisors and guided by community partners from across the city. CLOCC’s partners cut across medicine, government, corporate, academic, advocacy, and other sectors. Currently, there are over 3,000 individuals representing over 1,200 organizations who participate in the consortium. Many are in the Chicago area and participate in a variety of consortium activities. Some are located outside of the city and state and participate through engagement with CLOCC’s website (www.​clocc.​net) or by receiving CLOCC’s weekly e-letter. A small subset of organizations and individuals provide leadership through CLOCC’s External Advisory Board and Executive Committee. CLOCC is creating and sustaining the types of multi-level collaborations recommended by our nation’s health leaders. …