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The state of Ohio has announced a plan to tackle obesity.

The Ohio Department of Health’s 131-page Ohio Obesity Prevention Plan was created in response to Gov. Ted Strickland’s directive last year to formulate a plan to address the problems of obesity among Ohio residents.

According to federal statistics, 28.1% of adults and 19% of children in Ohio were overweight in 2007.

The five-year plan includes three specific goals for preventing obesity:

The state will enhance opportunities for physical activity among Ohio residents.

The state will target improving access to healthy foods while limiting the availability of unhealthy foods.

State agencies will better coordinate policies and resources designed to prevent obesity.

Along with help from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Ohio Department of Education will embark on efforts to improve the nutritional quality of school meals.

Schools also will be asked to create plans for children to produce increased opportunities for physical activity.

The state also plans to identify rural and urban food deserts, develop and promote a statewide trail system, create and implement a statewide obesity prevention program, establish government and public-private partnerships to evaluate program objectives, and ensure continued progress.

For information, log on to www.HealthyOhioProgram.org.