We read Fletcher and Patrick’s article summarizing the failure of “educational programs” to stem the obesity epidemic, concluding that “obesity will only be curbed by population-level measures supported by legislation.”1
We would like to draw attention to the Ensemble Prévenons l’Obésité Des Enfants (EPODE) methodology that has evolved over the past 22 years and has been shown to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity in large-scale studies in Europe (overweight and obese children are predictors of obesity in adults).2,3 It is important to note that none of the EPODE communities has chosen to use legislation to regulate or change behaviours. Most EPODE programs are funded by a combination of public and private partnerships.
EPODE’s capacity-building for communities integrates both nutrition and physical activity. The EPODE methodology focuses on families and involves the full range of stakeholders including schools, parks, health care practitioners, private partners and politicians at all levels.
Through the mobilization of community, we can shift norms from obesogenic environments to broad adoption of healthy active living practices.
EPODE Canada (epodecanada.ca) is a new regional initiative of the EPODE International Network. EPODE is just getting started in Canada, having been chosen as the framework for Ontario’s Healthy Kids Community Challenge.
Footnotes
Competing interests: The EPODE International Network is supported by grants from both public partners such as the European Union and private partners such as Nestle and Coca Cola.