Understanding the perceptions of the American public is important as RWJF works to improve access to healthy foods and opportunities for safe physical activity by changing policies, environments and social norms. This document highlights results from a survey conducted in October 2005 by the Harvard School of Public Health and RWJF. The team polled a nationally representative sample of 1,108 adults to determine current attitudes about childhood obesity and to gauge support for various childhood obesity prevention initiatives.

Findings include:

• Ninety-two percent of all Americans surveyed consider childhood obesity to be a serious national problem (includes very serious and somewhat serious categories).
• Parents are less concerned about obesity in their own children. Only 41 percent of parents with children under age 18 were very concerned about their children being or becoming obese or seriously overweight.
• Parents concerned with obesity in their own children were significantly more likely than other parents to view childhood obesity as a very serious national problem (63 percent versus 50 percent).