Friday, August 12, 2005

News

Advisory

 
 
                                                                                               For more information, contact:

Stephen P. McDonald

Public Information Officer

(801) 538-7099

 

 

Utah Decision Makers Convene First Childhood Obesity Forum

 

 

What:               Key decision makers committed to improving children’s health will participate in a forum, “Tipping the Scales toward Healthier Children” to discuss the impact of childhood obesity, identify what is currently being done to address the problem, and discuss opportunities for new action. This forum will bring together representatives from the community, schools, work sites, health care systems, and the media to discuss ways to make the healthy choice the easy choice.

 

Why:                One in four Utah children are already at an unhealthy weight, putting them at risk to join the 58 percent of Utah adults who are overweight or obese when they grow up. They are also at increased risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease, conditions once only seen in adults. Although overweight and obesity stem from individual and family choices, children struggle to make healthy food choices and be physically active in settings that do not support these habits.

 

Who:                William Dietz, MD, PhD, Director, Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

                        David N. Sundwall, MD, Executive Director, Utah Department of Health

                        Experts from education, health care, public health, community planning, major corporations, and the media                   

                       

When:              Wednesday, August 17, 2005

                        8:15 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Dr. Dietz will speak from 8:45 to 9:30 a.m. and will be available for interviews immediately after his remarks.

 

Where:             Delta Center, VIP Conference Room

                        301 West South Temple

                        Salt Lake City

 

Parking available at Park Place, at the corner of South Temple and 300 West. Enter the parking lot from 300 West (across the street to the east of the Triad Center).

 

Interview, video and photo opportunities available

 

Download the new report from the Utah Department of Health, “Tipping the Scales towards a Healthier Population: A Report of Overweight and Obesity in Utah” at http://health.utah.gov/obesity

 

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