Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is Shaping America’s Youth?

Shaping America’s Youth is a national cross-sector initiative to promote childhood and adolescent physical activity, balanced nutrition, and healthy lifestyles.

Q2: Why is it necessary?

A great deal of attention has recently been paid to physical inactivity and unhealthy weight among children and adolescents in the United States. We know that an unprecedented number of our children are carrying excess body weight – it is reaching epidemic levels. While a lot is being done to address these issues, we believe efforts can be enhanced if we focus funding, research, and interventions where they are most needed, most promising and/or most effective.

Q3: How is Shaping America’s Youth different from other programs focused on this issue?

It is different in several ways. First, Shaping America’s Youth will engage across all sectors. As Surgeon General Richard Carmona has said, if we are to be successful in ending this public health crisis, we need to work together – government, schools, communities and businesses must join forces. Second, we know that there is not one answer – we need to address this issue on a number of different fronts. So we’ll work to promote new partnerships. Third, we know that both the public and private sectors are allocating resources to help address this issue. We will work to help coordinate and direct resources to where they are most effective and needed.

Q4: What is the ultimate goal of Shaping America’s Youth?

Our ultimate goal is changed behavior – healthier children, with healthier lifestyles lead to healthier adults, longer lives.

Q5: How will Shaping America’s Youth make a difference?

Shaping America’s Youth will make a difference in several ways. First, our effort is the first cross-sector effort to coalesce disparate initiatives around the country. Second, the caliber of the charter members of this program underscores the commitment each group has to the success of Shaping America’s Youth – as well as their willingness to ‘shake up’ the discussion surrounding this issue so that we are singing as a chorus versus as soloists.

Shaping America’s Youth will serve as a catalyst and facilitator – bringing people and resources together to ensure that our nation’s young people have the resources needed to choose healthier lifestyles.

Q6: How did Nike, McNeil Nutritionals, the Office of the Surgeon General, and the American Academy of Pediatrics get together on this topic? Are there other organizations involved? If so, who and what is their role?

While we look at this issue from different vantage points – physical activity, nutrition, lifestyle choices, prevention, and eliminating health disparities – we share common concern about the health of our nation’s children. This problem is bigger than any one organization, agency, or company can address on its own. Working together, and pooling resources, just makes sense.

In addition to these four organizations, the American Diabetes Association, American Obesity Association, and Kaiser Permanente have joined as partners in the development and execution of this first phase of the initiative. This initiative is receiving widespread interest, and we expect to continue to add partners from all three sectors as we move forward with Phase 1 and beyond.

Q7: What types of results do you hope there will be from this initiative?

There are several outcomes we expect to result from Shaping America’s Youth. First, we are certain to gain better and more effective collaboration among various organizations currently involved in this issue. Second, we fully intend to increase attention on the issue. And third, we expect more people engaged at the national and community levels as more resources become available.

Q8: How will this survey benchmark where the nation is today with current programs and efforts focused on combating sedentary lifestyles and increasing weight of children?

For the first time ever, our nation will have a database that characterizes who is doing what, against what aspect of the problem, and in which setting. Without such a perspective, it will not be possible to bring better coordination and effectiveness in combating this crisis facing our nation’s children and families.

Q9: How will the data be pulled together? And how will it be communicated to the public?

The database, interfaced with the survey, will allow a thorough characterization of where our nation’s effort stands today. A summary of the survey results will be written and available to participants in the survey.

Q10: Can you tell us about the summary? What will be included in it?

The summary will provide a snapshot of current funding efforts, initiatives, and programs targeted at the crisis of childhood and adolescent inactivity and excess weight.

Q11: What happens after the summary is released and database is populated? What do you envision for Phase II of this initiative?

The data drawn from this first survey will serve as the cornerstone to bring leaders from all sectors together to discuss how our nation’s effort can be enhanced further by the development of initiatives to guide future efforts. The Phase II initiative will also include a national registry and searchable database providing linkages across all sectors of society to help build partnerships and coalitions, supporting those local efforts at the community level, which is where we must ultimately succeed. Much of the focus of Phase II will be developed based on the answers that organizations and programs provide in the survey. The survey was structured to capture information that would then build relationships and address barriers to success.

Q12: Why do we need a national plan?

Currently, many entities from various sectors are engaged; however, cross-talk among them needs to increase so as to maximize each group’s impact. A national plan will allow the strategies of individual organizations to tie to a larger, national plan, thereby coordinating all efforts for maximum impact and minimum duplication.

For more information, as printed in 2003

The 2003 page directed readers to 1-800-SAY-9221 and to a registration page at www.shapingamericasyouth.com/registration.aspx. Both are recorded here as historical text; the survey closed and no registration is possible.