Two-thirds of adults and one-third of children are overweight or obese. Left unchecked, obesity’s effects on health, health care costs, and our productivity as a nation could become catastrophic.

The Institute of Medicine, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has released a report which focuses on five critical goals for preventing obesity:

1. Integrating physical activity into people’s daily lives;
2. Making healthy food and beverage options available everywhere;
3. Transforming marketing and messages about nutrition and activity;
4. Making schools a gateway to healthy weights; and
5. Galvanizing employers and health care professionals to support healthy lifestyles.

On their own, accomplishing any one of these might help speed up progress in preventing obesity, but together, their effects will be reinforced, amplified, and maximized.