WHAT WERE THE TRIUMPH EVENTS?

Each TRIUMPH event consisted of three parts: a facilitated panel discussion by nutrition and fitness experts, government officials and large employers with local operations; presentations by the leaders of innovative local programs; and a question-and-answer session.

Event Locations
ACFN hosted TRIUMPH events in seven cities in 2005. In chronological order, they were:

Each location was selected based on a number of criteria, including magnitude of the local obesity problem according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other sources. ACFN sought to visit cities with very different innate characteristics, from large Midwestern cities (Chicago) to small Southern cities (Little Rock), with a mix of populations that data show to be at particularly high risk of obesity (e.g., Albuquerque with its significant Native American population, and Baltimore with its considerable African-American population). Level of interest by local and state government in health and wellness was another contributing factor, and ACFN sought to include cities where local government has made a significant commitment to comprehensive solutions for building a healthier city (e.g., Little Rock, Austin, Philadelphia and Oklahoma City).

Panelists and Programs
ACFN identified and recruited both the panelists and program leaders through research and pre-existing contacts in each market. ACFN’s network of members, advisory board members and local employees of the food and beverage companies that support ACFN also were instrumental.

Participants
An average of 90 local community leaders and health and wellness professionals attended each TRIUMPH event. Prospective participants were identified and vetted through Internet and local on-the-ground research, then recruited via e-mail or personal invitation.