Washoe County Health District
Washoe County Chronic Disease Coalition
Annual Report
December 2009
2009 was an exciting year for the Washoe County Chronic Disease Coalition (Coalition). The
Coalition began the year by holding a strategic planning session in which policy and
environmental change for chronic disease prevention was chosen as the theme. Throughout
the year, guest speakers were invited to educate members about theme-related topics, such as
restaurant menu-labeling and the movement towards locally grown foods.
Further, the Coalition’s committee structure was updated to fit the needs of the selected theme,
resulting in two new committees being added: the Youth Committee and the Senior Committee.
In its first year, the Youth Committee worked towards revising sections related to physical
activity and nutrition in the Washoe County Childcare Facility Regulations.
The Senior Committee presented to and recruited from senior community groups in Washoe
County. This committee also worked to consolidate resource information for local senior
services.
Two ad-hoc committees, the Advocacy Committee and the Data Committee, convened regularly
to support the Coalition’s policy and environmental change efforts. The Advocacy Committee
was incredibly busy this year due to the Nevada Legislative Session. This committee ensured
that Coalition members were up-to-date on health-related issues being addressed in the
Session. After the Session concluded, the Advocacy Committee continued to attend and report
on interim activities.
The Data Committee released an Epi-News on Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults, and
Alcohol and Tobacco Use in Washoe County. This committee also collaborated with the
Washoe County School District to analyze Body Mass Index data recently collected on local 4th,
7th, and 10th graders. The results from these data were released in a second Epi-News on local
childhood obesity.
This latter collaboration further prompted the Coalition to hold the state’s first forum on
childhood obesity. Eight-five people attended the forum where speakers outlined the individual,
social, community, and environmental contributors to unhealthy weight among children.
Throughout the year, the Coalition supported many community activities such as Bike to Work
Day, and Washoe County Health District’s efforts to apply for chronic disease prevention grants
(i.e., Communities Putting Prevention to Work; Action Communities for Health, Innovation, and
EnVironmental changE). Finally, the Coalition held its annual joint meeting with the Maternal
Child Health Coalition in which diabetes and women of childbearing age was discussed.