Emerging Practice

Georgia Shape

State/Jurisdiction: Georgia
Setting: Community School
Population: Adolescents & Young Adults Children
Topic Area: Family & Youth Engagement Nutrition & Physical Activity
NPMs: NPM 8.1: Physical Activity – Ages 6 to 11 NPM 8.2: Physical Activity – Ages 12 to 17

Georgia Shape is a statewide, multi-agency, multi-dimensional initiative of Governor Nathan Deal that brings together governmental, philanthropic, academic and business communities to address childhood obesity statewide in school, health care and community settings. Georgia Shape began with the passage of the Student Health and Physical Education (SHAPE) Act in 2009 mandating physical fitness testing for all students enrolled in physical education. The expansion to a multi-stakeholder collaborative effort using a collective impact framework, began in 2012. Since its insertion, fitness and obesity rates have improved among some groups of children and physical activity and nutrition interventions, programs, and environmental changes continue to contribute to the program’s success. Georgia Shape continues its efforts in increasing the number of students in the Healthy Fitness Zone. Other objectives of Georgia Shape include reaching disparate populations, increasing the aerobic capacity measure of Georgia’s youth, increasing the breastfeeding rate across Georgia, and increasing the number of early care centers that excel in nutrition and physical activity measures. In decreasing childhood obesity measures, the overall goal of the initiative is to improve the health of adolescents in Georgia by improving physical activity and nutrition outcomes. This is completed through the offering of trainings, programs, services, assistance and opportunity.


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Implementation Handout



CONTACT INFORMATION
Georgia Department of Public Health
Carmen Daniel MPH, Director, Child Health and Wellness, Georgia Shape
Georgia.Shape@dph.ga.gov
(404) 657-6587
Practice Website