Children and Youth

The Children and Youth initiatives under the California Department of Public Health’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Branch (NPAB) represent a compilation of statewide public health initiatives whose efforts are aimed at improving the nutrition and physical activity levels of children and youth from low-income families.

Background

• 4,000 schools in California qualify for SNAP-Ed funded nutrition education and obesity prevention programs.
• Close to one-third of California’s children are obese or overweight.
• Research supports the idea that healthy kids make better learners.

​Youth Engagement Initiative

The Youth Engagement Initiative is a public health initiative that works with youth ages 12–18 in low-resource areas. Youth leaders have been successful in showing stakeholders, community leaders, teachers, parents and policy makers that youth should be a key part of the discussions and solutions development regarding the health and well-being of their communities.