Advancing Nutrition and Obesity Policy through Cross-Sector Collaboration: The Local Farms – Healthy Kids Initiative in Washington State

Abstract

Nutrition policy advocates have identified many evidence-based strategies that could improve the nutritional health of populations, but progress toward policy enactment is limited. Cross-sector collaboration is a time-tested way to advance the policy process. A group of advocates, practitioners, and researchers examined policy interests across nutrition, agriculture, and environmental sectors. The group then examined how these factors played out in the Local Farms–Healthy Kids legislation in Washington State. Cross-sector advocacy based on shared values regarding healthy food access and mutual interests in production, sales, and consumption of healthy local food strengthened the policy development process.

Keywords:

• nutrition
• public health
• collaboration
• food system
• legislative policy
• policy development

Notes

This article was supported through the Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research and Evaluation Network (NOPREN) by Cooperative Agreement Number U48-DP001911 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The findings and conclusions in this journal article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The authors also acknowledge all participating members of the Washington Nutrition and Obesity Research and Evaluation Network for their contributions to this study's design and data collection.