Data & Research
Overweight, Obesity, and Physical Inactivity Data
Health statistics for San Diego County, designed to provide information to local health professionals, community-based organizations, the general public and County staff on community health statistics. Also provides referrals to statewide and national statistics.
The Children’s Initiative
A biennial report that provides a summary of the overall health and well-being of our county’s children, youth and families. This report also includes information on national best practices for prevention, intervention, and recommendations for actions specific to San Diego County.
State of Childhood Obesity Report
The State of Childhood Obesity report, developed with the input and support of many COI partners, was released in May 2017. The report presents childhood overweight and obesity prevalence data, baseline measures for indicators of progress, and innovative projects and activities implemented by COI partners and provides a benchmark by which progress in obesity prevention will be measured moving forward, with a focus on health equity.
Kidsdata.org
This database allows you to view a number of different data specific to California children. Data are available by county and school district.
California Health Interview Survey (CHIS)
The nation’s largest health survey, which offers credible and comprehensive resources on the health of Californians, including data, publications and survey design and methods.
California Department of Education
The California Department of Education operates a database that provides statistics across a wide range of topics related to school indicators such as student fitness, test scores, performance, and more. Data are available by county and school district.
State Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
WIC is a federally-funded health and nutrition program for women, infants, and children. WIC helps families by providing checks for buying healthy supplemental foods from WIC-authorized vendors, nutrition education, and help finding healthcare and other community services. Participants must meet income guidelines and be pregnant women, new mothers, infants or children under age five. In California, 82 WIC agencies provide services locally to over 1.4 million women, infants and children each month at over 600 sites throughout the State.
YRBSS: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System
YRBSS provides facts and resources related to childhood obesity and an overview of behaviors that contribute markedly to the leading causes of death, disability, and social problems among youth and adults in the United States.
Childhood Overweight: YRBSS and School Health Profiles results related to childhood overweight, by state.
Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System (PedNSS)
The Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System (PedNSS) and the Pregnancy Surveillance System (PNSS) are surveillance systems that monitor the nutritional status of low-income infants, children, and women in federally funded maternal and child health programs. Includes national data on health indicators for families with children in the 0-5 population.
CDC: U.S. Obesity Fact Sheets
This site lists percentages of U.S. high school students who are obese, engage in unhealthy dietary behaviors, or are physically inactive. Data are provided by state. It also contains resources that offer health recommendations for addressing the problem.
CDC: U.S. Obesity Data, Trends, and Maps
The CDC’s online interactive maps display the rising obesity trends that have occurred across all states over the past 3 decades.
American Public Health Association
Links to funding sources, research, toolkits and legislation promoting the prevention of childhood obesity.
Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator
Allows users to measure their own body mass index based on height and weight; offers weight management information and resources. Also includes body mass index charts in full color for children aged 2 to 20 years old.
Center for Disease Control (CDC) Growth Charts
CDC growth charts serve to illustrate selective body measurements in children as a tracking device for the growth of infants, children, and adolescents in the United States. Data focus primarily on girls and boys aged 2 to 20.
UC Berkeley Center for Weight and Health
The Center works with community groups to develop and evaluate programs to support health in children and families in diverse communities. It also produces reports and policy briefs that can further community partners’ goals and outcomes.
Weight-control Information Network
Overweight and obesity statistics. Access to health databases: Medline Plus, NIH, NIDDK, and the Combined Health Information Database.
Research and Resources
Live Well, San Diego!
In 2010, the Board of Supervisors adopted a comprehensive innovative strategy on wellness, called Live Well San Diego, which serves as a roadmap for the future to achieve the vision of a safe, healthy and thriving county. Live Well San Diego provides a shared agenda for collaboration and action that has become the common thread that ties the work of public and private community organizations, agencies and stakeholders together toward a shared purpose for the region.
Healthy Works
Healthy Works is a component of the County of San Diego’s Live Well, San Diego! initiative, a 10-year strategic vision for creating healthy, safe, and thriving communities. Healthy Works engages San Diego County residents, schools, businesses, and community leaders in systems and environmental approaches to create “Paths to Healthy Living.”
Public Health Advocates
Public Health Advocates educates the public on supporting wellness legislation for California schools, and also lists rates of childhood overweight in California cities and counties.
Center for Science in the Public Interest
Nationwide database of wellness policies, legislation, research and programs that promote nutrition and physical activity.
Share the Care/ Dental Health Initiative of San Diego
“Share the Care’s” resources include a variety of oral health and nutrition educational materials of benefit to health professionals, parents and children.
Prevention Institute
Prevention Institute serves as a focal point for primary prevention–promoting policies, organizational practices, and collaborative efforts that improve health and quality of life. It synthesizes research and practice, develops prevention tools and frameworks, conducts training and strategic consultation, and helps design and guide interdisciplinary partnerships.
Action for Healthy Kids
Action for Healthy Kids is a nationwide organization that advocates for obesity prevention in schools. Its resources include comprehensive information on state initiatives, legislation, reports, and other data related to improving health in schools.
California Project LEAN (Leaders Encouraging Activity and Nutrition)
California Project LEAN works with state and local physical activity and nutrition leaders, key school and community organizations, school board members, youth, parents, and promotoras as stakeholder engagement is an essential component of obesity prevention and health promotion.
California School Board Association
CSBA offers a guide to developing wellness policies for California schools.
PE Central
A resource for health and physical educators. Includes physical education lesson ideas and research.
School Nutrition Association
SNA works to ensure that all children have access to healthy meals and nutrition education in school. The site provides resources, publications, and education/training opportunities for its members.
California School Garden Network
Collaboration dedicated to the mission of creating and sustaining school gardens in California. This network distributes school garden resources and support throughout the state.
California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance
CAHPERD is a non-profit, voluntary membership corporation formed exclusively to promote the organizing and progress of school, community and statewide programs of health, physical education, recreation and dance.
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
This website will provide you with accurate dietary information from the largest organization of food and nutrition experts. ADA works to improve dietary information through research, education and advocacy.
San Diego County Breastfeeding Coalition
Breast milk is known to be the optimal food for babies during the crucial first stages of growth and development. This nonprofit organization supports and promotes breastfeeding through education and outreach to the community. It also highlights local best practice examples of breastfeeding policy.
USDA/Agricultural Research Service’s Children’s Nutrition Research Center
The Children’s Nutrition Research Center is one of six federally funded human nutrition research centers in the nation. It is the first center to conduct scientific investigations into the role of maternal, infant and child nutrition in optimal health, development, and growth. This site also serves as a resource for media seeking expert insight into a wide range of nutrition issues.
USDA Food and Nutrition Information Center
A wealth of information on nutrition, food composition, dietary supplements, and food assistance programs. This site also contains links to tools such as the food pyramid and The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Active Living Research
Active Living Research is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that focuses on childhood obesity prevention in low-income and high-risk racial/ethnic communities. ALR supports and funds research that examines the impact environments and policies have on active living for children and their families.
National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity
NCPPA is the leading force in the country promoting physical activity and fitness initiatives. It is a diverse blend of associations, health organizations, and private corporations that advocate for policies that encourage Americans of all ages to become more physically active.
Shape America
Shape America has physical education, physical activity, and professional development resources for P-12 educators.
The Network for a Healthy California mapping application is an interactive, internet-based Geographic Information System (GIS) that allows users to view and query mapped nutrition data. The application contains a rich set of nutrition and other health related data, including:
- Nutrition and school health programs
- WIC grocery stores and other local nutrition resources
- Demographics (race and spoken language) of general and at-risk populations
- Various California Department of Public Health regions
- Political (senate and assembly) districts
Food Environment Atlas
Nationwide, USDA estimates that 23.5 million people, including 6.5 million children, live in low-income areas that are more than a mile from a supermarket. This new online tool allows for you to get a spatial overview of your community’s ability to access healthy food.