Childhood obesity prevention: focusing on the community food environment

This article examines the current state of science of Community-based Childhood Obesity Prevention Environmental Nutrition Interventions (CCOPENIs). Findings from the literature review indicate that CCOPENIs are effective in altering "obesogenic" community behaviors, reducing the prevalence of childhood obesity. However, the shortage of long-term communitywide interventions that address community characteristics limits our understanding of their effectiveness, feasibility, and sustainability. CCOPENIs have the potential to be utilized within clinical practice as well as within public health practice; however, further interdisciplinary research utilizing a CCOPENI framework is necessary to create innovative CCOPENIs that are effective, feasible, and sustainable long term.