The Obesity Prevention Program works to make healthy choices easier for all Texans wherever they live, work, and play. The Obesity Prevention Program was created in October 2013 by merging the Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity Prevention (NPAOP) and Worksite Wellness Programs.
Being overweight increases a person’s risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and other serious medical conditions that impact quality of life and have substantial economic consequences for our healthcare system. The increasing prevalence of overweight and obese children and adults is a serious concern for Texas.
This Program supports and promotes projects that focus on:
- Decreasing obesity
- Decreasing the consumption of added sugars and high calorie, low nutrient foods
- Increasing the consumption of fruits, vegetables and water
- Increasing the initiation and duration of breastfeeding
- Increasing physical activity.
The Program targets large segments of the population by promoting: (1) strategies to reduce environmental barriers to healthy living, and (2) administrative policies that facilitate healthy choices.