ABSTRACT
Combatting the obesity epidemic among children requires a holistic approach to prevention and treatment. Clinical office-based responsibilities to patients and their families are described in great detail in other chapters of this text. Once patients leave clinical settings, they need additional support to implement strategies and maintain behaviors that promote healthy diets and adequate physical activity in the face of environments that work against them. Understanding the environment in which the patient and family lives is critical to the long-term success of weight management. The rationale for including community-based initiatives in the arsenal of tools available to clinicians to prevent and treat obesity is outlined and illustrations using promising and successful programs provided.
