Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the major operating components of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is the principal agency responsible for improving public health in the United States. The CDC has two primary purposes: to respond to health emergencies and to improve people's health in their daily lives. In support of those goals, the CDC conducts research and public health interventions across the United States and globally.

The CDC originally was concerned primarily with infectious diseases, but its purview has expanded [Page 123]to include all diseases and conditions that impact human health, including chronic diseases and risk factors for them such as obesity, lack of physical activity, tobacco use, and exposure to environmental toxins. The name Center for Disease Control was adopted in 1970; in 1981, this became Centers for Disease Control, and in 1992, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; however, the acronym CDC is still used for the organization.

The CDC has a workforce of over 8,000 employees in various locations throughout the world; CDC headquarters are located in Atlanta, GA. As the name suggests, the CDC consists of a number of Centers which focus on particular aspects of public health: these include the National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (NCEH/ATSDR), the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), the National Immunization Program (NIS), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

The CDC Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity takes a public health approach toward nutrition and physical activity and their roles in preventing chronic disease and promoting good health. The Division maintains a website devoted to the topics of overweight and obesity, which states unequivocally that overweight and obesity are increasing sharply among American children and adults, and that these conditions increase the risk of many chronic diseases including coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and osteoarthritis. The website also includes information about nutrition, physical activity and the health risks of being overweight or obese, links to CDC press releases on those topics, information about relevant CDC programs and campaigns, and links to relevant CDC publications.

Several major CDC campaigns are relevant to obesity prevention and weight control. The 5-a-Day for Better Health program is a national effort to increase per-capita fruit and vegetable consumption to five per day. Program materials are also available in Spanish: the Spanish-language program is called 5 al Día.

The Active Community Environments (ACES) Initiative promotes environmental and policy interventions that will increase levels of physical activity, including the development of pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly environments, the promotion of active forms of transportation such as walking and bicycling, and the development of accessible recreational facilities. The Kids-Walk-to-School program is a community-based program that encourages children to walk to and from school in groups accompanied by adults, and communities to create a safe environment to facilitate walking and other regular physical activity. VERB is a social marketing campaign to encourage children aged 9–13 years (also known as tweens) to be physically active every day. The campaign is national and multicultural (materials are available in English and Spanish) and combines advertising, marketing, and partnership efforts to reach audiences of tweens and adults who influence their behavior.

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