Nutrition Education & Obesity Prevention (NEOP)
Originally established in 1995, the Nutrition and Physical Activity Branch (NPAB), formerly the Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Branch (NEOPB) of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), addresses nutrition security and physical activity through statewide, regional, and local programs and partnerships with an emphasis on communities that experience the greatest health disparities. Throughout its various programs, the state branch maximizes and implements comprehensive, multi-level strategies for supportive food and physical activity environments and chronic disease prevention. In addition to funding local programs, such as our Tulare County Public Health Nutrition Education & Obesity Prevention (NEOP) Program, NPAB manages a statewide social marketing campaign, implements state-level nutrition and physical activity policy strategies, and supports the Governor’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and Mental Well-Being.
In Tulare County, our local Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention (NEOP) program, in collaboration with community partners, works to implement healthy food and beverage initiatives to help improve the health outcomes of children, youth, and adults. Our program staff works in the community retail setting to create and implement strategies that address increasing access to healthy food and discourage easy access to unhealthy foods in local retail stores, farmers markets, and other venues where food and beverages are sold.
Our goal is to implement healthy changes within Tulare County communities and provide nutrition and physical activity education to low-income residents by:
- Increasing access to healthy foods and beverages where people live, learn, work, play, or shop
- Reducing displays of unhealthy foods and beverages
- Increasing physical activity opportunities
Partnerships
Tulare County NEOP collaborates with multiple existing organizations and programs, including:
- University of California Cooperative Extension
- Tulare County Office of Education
- Kaweah Delta
- Family HealthCare Network
- California Farmworker Foundation
Services Provided
Nutrition Education Classes
Classes offered include basic nutrition, eating healthy on a budget, physical activity, and healthy recipe food demonstrations.
Healthy Retail Initiative
Tulare County NEOP provides nutrition education at retail sites as well as healthy retail advertising.
Community Events
Signature community events that Tulare County NEOP hosts with collaboration from our partners include:
- Fruit & Veggie Fest
- Latino Health Awareness
- Rethink Your Drink
- Community Forums
