WHAT’S NEXT FOR ACFN?

TRIUMPH Follow-Up
In 2006, ACFN will continue its dialogue with the local programs encountered as part of the TRIUMPH series, monitoring their progress, promoting information exchange and highlighting their important work.

Focus on At-Risk Populations
Possibly the single greatest lesson for ACFN from the TRIUMPH experience was the importance of cultural relevance in health and wellness programs targeting populations that the data suggest are most at-risk of obesity. So in 2006, in partnership with the American Dietetic Association Foundation, ACFN will conduct an initiative focusing on African-American and Hispanic children. The initiative will consist of a detailed analysis of existing data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other sources, to assess the need and greatest opportunities for impact among African-American and Hispanic children. Then ACFN and the ADA Foundation will develop two separate authoritative guides for African-American and Hispanic community leaders on how to build and expand programs designed to help families adopt and maintain healthier lifestyles. ACFN and the ADA Foundation will recruit other partners from the organizations most respected within those populations.

Outcomes Measurement project
ACFN is working on an initiative with the local programs encountered through the TRIUMPH series and key federal government agencies to provide leadership in the area of measuring progress in the fight against obesity. ACFN found that many local programs seek standardized tools for the measurement of outcome, or at least guidance on the criteria by which outcomes should be measured. The goal is to help health and wellness professionals answer the question, “How do I really know if my program helped its participants?” In 2006, ACFN will work with appropriate partners to be a catalyst in creating such a set of tools and criteria.