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ACFN
Unveils Blueprint for Healthy Families, Healthy Communities
On September 13, 2006, The American Council for Fitness and Nutrition (ACFN) released two separate authoritative blueprints for African-American and Hispanic communities that aim to build, expand and promote programs designed to help families adopt and maintain healthier lifestyles. The two documents, developed in partnership with the American Dietetic Association Foundation and leaders of their African-American and Latino practice groups, outline ways to reach minority communities in order to help people make healthier choices in both nutrition and physical activity. The blueprints provide guidance on how one can become an agent of change within the African American and Hispanic communities. “As we learned through our grassroots outreach efforts over the last two years, cultural relevance is extremely important when it comes to building healthy families and communities,” said ACFN Chair Susan Finn, PH.D., R.D., L.D., F.A.D.A. “I am proud of these two documents that will serve as fantastic resources for community members interested in health and wellness.” Healthy Families, Healthy Communities, A Blueprint for Action; Mi Pueblo…Mi Familia and Community Connect cover a wide array of topics in nutrition and physical fitness that specifically target each unique culture. The Hispanic blueprint is also translated into Spanish in order to extend its reach in the community. Both documents were written by well-known experts in the field of nutrition and health. The Hispanic blueprint was drafted by Cecilia Pozo Fileti, M.S., R.D., F.A.D.A., a nutrition and health care consultant and President of the Latino Health Communications. The African-American blueprint was co-authored by Fabiola D. Gaines, R.D., L.D. and Roniece Weaver, M.D., R.D., L.D., developers of the original “Soul Food Pyramid” – a culturally sensitive food guide pyramid that was featured in Newsweek earlier this year. All three authors are registered dieticians and members of the American Dietetic Association. The concept of blueprints came after ACFN held a series of TRIUMPH (Trends, Resources and Inspiration for Understanding and Maintaining Physical Health) events last year in seven cities to discover what’s really working in communities regarding the promotion of health and wellness, and to celebrate the successes of local programs that are making a difference. One of the most important things ACFN learned is that cultural relevance and community leaders are the critical parts of reaching people in all communities, especially those that are most at-risk of obesity. To download the complete text of both blueprints, click here. |
