Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Program (NUPAO)

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The Arizona Department of Health Services proudly supports border health efforts in our Arizona counties and cities along the Mexico border. Click the logo to learn more about the '5 Pasos' healthy eating and active living program that aligns with our nutrition and physical activity programs.

Vision:
To be recognized as the leader in obesity prevention in Arizona, resulting in optimal health for our citizens.

Mission:
To improve the health and quality of life of Arizona residents by reducing the incidence and severity of chronic disease and obesity through physical activity and nutrition interventions.

Goals:

1. To promote and enable the citizens of Arizona to eat smart and have access to healthy and nutritious foods.
2. To promote and enable active lifestyles and communities for Arizona residents.

Latest News & Publications

• BRFSS Weight Status Summary Arizona 2011
• BRFSS Fruit and Vegetable Intake Summary Arizona 2011
• BRFSS Physical Activity Summary Arizona 2011
• New! AZ Healthy Communities
• Arizona’s first Health Impact Assessment (HIA)
• The Health in Policy and Practice Advisory Group has been established by ADHS in partnership with Maricopa Department of Public Health representing Livable Communities Coalition, Arizona Department of Transportation, Arizona State University and the Arizona Chapter of American Planning Association,  to complete the first Health Impact Assessment (HIA)  in Arizona. The group prepared a HIA to recommend strategies to ensure health equity in the community surrounding the alignment of the Tempe Modern Street Car. Health risks that were assessed includes air pollution, physical activity, safety and injury prevention, accessibility to resources, neighborhood environment, and livelihood. Some recommendations that have been integrated in the Tempe Street Car Design Plan include: 1) improve walking and biking infrastructure to promote active commuting safely, 2) incorporate shade structures at stations to increase aesthetics and address the heat, and 3) increase connectivity between transit and existing community amenities including parks and recreation. 
• LETS MOVE Salad Bars to Schools Initiative
• Labels Now Provide Key Nutrition Information for Meat and Poultry Products
  As of March 1, 2012, raw meat and poultry products most frequently purchased will feature nutrition labels.
• Policy Considerations for Improving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Making a Case for Decreasing the Burden of Obesity
  A white paper from ASU's School of Nutrition & Health Promotion, proposes strategies to assist SNAP in helping reduce obesity among its participants.
• The Obesity Epidemic
  This December, 2011, report provides historical data and specific information about the obesity problem in Arizona. It was produced by the Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Nutrition and Physical Activity.
• Obesity Epidemic Video Arizona solutions showcased!
  This video explains the many factors that have contributed to the obesity epidemic, and showcases several community initiatives, including Arizona, taking place to prevent and reduce obesity. Obesity is a national epidemic and a major contributor to some of the leading causes of death in the U.S., including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some types of cancer. We need to change our communities into places that strongly support healthy eating and active living.
• School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity
  Schools play a critical role in improving the dietary and physical activity behaviors of children and adolescents. Schools can create environments supportive of students' efforts to eat healthy and be active by implementing policies and practices that support healthy eating and regular physical activity and by providing opportunities for students to learn about and practice these behaviors.
• County Leisure Time Physical Inactivity Estimates
  In Arizona, nearly 1 in 4 adults are not active during their free time. The rates of leisure-time physical inactivity are as low as 17.0% in Santa Cruz County to as high as 29.4% in La Paz County, according to new 2008 estimates released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These rates reflect adults who report no physical activity or exercise other than daily functions at their place of employment.
• Obesity Increases in Arizona
  According to F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2012, a report from the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) more than two-thirds of U.S. states (39) have adult obesity rates of at least 25 percent, including Arizona. For Arizona, the 2011 obesity rate was 24.7% (a 12.1% increase since 1995). The report also projects obesity rates in 2030 under two scenarios. Scenario 1 is that obesity rates continue on their current track and scenario 2 is that the average BMI is reduced by 5%. For scenario one, the percent of obese Arizonians would be 58.8%; and for scenario 2, the percent of obese Arizonians would be 51.8%.
• Lets Move – America's Move to Raise a Healthier Generation of Kids
  We need to get moving. Join First Lady Michelle Obama, community leaders, teachers, doctors, nurses, moms and dads in a nationwide campaign to tackle the challenge of childhood obesity.
• Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation
  A White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity's action plan for solving the problem of childhood obesity in a generation.