Definitions of "Environmental Change" and "Policy Change"

Environmental change: Obesity can be prevented if people would eat less and move more. However, often environmental factors prevent access to healthy foods and ways to be physically active. The environment where we work, for example, might not have healthy choices in vending machines. The environment where we live might have busy streets and no sidewalks, making it difficult to walk.

Policy change: Policies at the state, regional and local levels need to be made or revised so that healthy changes will last. An example of a policy change might be a school district no longer allowing students to purchase non-diet soda in school.