The California Adolescent Health Collaborative (CAHC) is
a public-private partnership with representatives from
organizations throughout the state dedicated to improving
adolescent health and well-being. In January, 2001, the
CAHC released Investing in Adolescent Health: A Social
Imperative for California’s Future, California’s first
comprehensive strategic plan for adolescent health. One of
the strategic plan’s outcome areas is nutrition and physical
activity. This policy brief is designed to help policy makers,
service providers, and communities implement comprehensive,
youth-friendly nutrition and physical activity
programs. Additional copies of this document are available at
www.californiateenhealth.org.
Poor diet and physical inactivity are second only to tobacco as
preventable causes of death among adults living in the United
States.i Childhood and adolescence are critical times in the
development of lifelong healthy eating and exercise habits.
Moreover, adolescent nutrition and physical activity are
important for the development of bone density, the
prevention of obesity and chronic diseases, and overall quality
of life. In addition, physical activity can improve academic
achievement by enhancing concentrationii and by helping
students be more attentive.