Initiative for a Healthy Weight

What is IHW?

The mission of the Initiative for a Healthy Weight is to prevent overweight and obesity among all Rhode Islanders. IHW coordinates, supports, and implements activities to promote lifelong healthy eating and active living.

In collaboration with many community partners, IHW is developing Rhode Island’s Plan for Healthy Eating and Active Living. This plan will create and enhance programs that address:

• Increasing physical activity
• Improving nutrition
• Reducing screen time
• Increasing breastfeeding

For a preview of the plan, download the Rhode Island’s Plan for Healthy Eating and Active Living: Objectives

IHW will lead Rhode Island in achieving the objectives of the state plan by:

• Building and sustaining partnerships for communication, coordination and collaboration.
• Building community capacity through technical assistance, training, and resource development.
• Developing and supporting policy and environmental improvement initiatives for healthy communities.
• Implementing CDC-supported targeted interventions in selected populations.

IHW staff works with community members to identify factors contributing to the problem of overweight and obesity in their communities and to implement interventions in schools, worksites, communities and healthcare settings.

By intervening at the individual, community, institutional, and policy levels, IHW will make it easier for Rhode Island residents to be physically active and to eat healthy. Through collaborative efforts, IHW will work towards a Rhode Island where healthy communities support healthy eating and active living.