When Maria Santa Maria, a school librarian and mother of four, led a team of neighbors to meet with Senator Martha Escutia (D, Montebello) in 2001, the team's goal was to convince her to take action on childhood obesity. The team-which includes a nutritionist, a food service worker, an alternative health care provider, and high school and college students-presented Escutia with shocking data: Her Los Angeles County district has the highest diabetes rate in the state.

Santa Maria's group, On the Go with Nutrition and Physical Activity, gathered the data by surveying 5,000 residents at community events. What they didn't know was that Escutia had recently been diagnosed with diabetes herself.

A year later, Escutia's bill, SB 19, which limits junk food in schools (see An epidemic: Kids out of shape), became law.

Statewide campaign

On the Go started as part of the Grassroots Nutrition and Physical Activity Campaign, a project of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CPHA). The campaign organizes teams of local residents to educate community leaders about nutrition and fitness for children and teens.

To start the teams, "we find who are dedicated leaders [and have] the ability to bring different groups together," says Regional Director Rosa Soto. CHPA pays local volunteers a small stipend and helps with training and technical assistance. The American Public Health Association and the Centers for Disease Control have recognized the campaign as a highly effective model.

Grassroots advocacy

The key, says Soto, is that the campaign is a "true grassroots" effort-parents and teens becoming educated on the issue "so it's really them doing the talking." Teams are made up of interested residents, not just professionals. "All the naïve-ness is what makes us so successful," says Santa Maria. "We're so enthused about it! When you have a lot of professionals, the presentation takes a different tone."

Persistence

Some legislators take a little persuading, says Santa Maria. Her team's first visit to (former) Assemblymember Tom Calderon (D, Montebello) was "our learning process in politics." The team had told the media they planned to visit Calderon, but when they showed up, he wasn't available. A reporter who was there wrote a story-Calderon's office called the next day to set up a meeting.

"At the beginning, when team leaders were knocking on doors, they [policy-makers] didn't have the time to meet," says Soto. "Once they got through that door and explained what they were doing, and legislators started getting a sense of the leadership opportunity...their attitudes changed."

Data-and solutions

"Speaking from your heart" is a vital part of the team's approach, says Santa Maria, but "data is what really gets people going," especially decision-makers. Teams bring policy-makers district-specific data-and policy solutions, from park safety and "healthy food zones" for kids to repairing water fountains and establishing bike trails.

Impact

Besides the passage of SB 19, teams have scored local victories: Kaiser Permanente in Long Beach organized a school board symposium on childhood obesity. Venice teens got involved in implementing the school district's junk-food ban. And several local agencies are now working on policy initiatives on childhood obesity.

Contact:

• California Center for Public Health Advocacy, 530-297-6000
  
  
• Data on rates of overweight and unfit children by Assembly district: www.publichealthadvocacy.org