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ACFN CALLS FOR COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTIONS TO HELP REDUCE OBESITY

Washington, D.C., March 2, 2004 - The American Council for Fitness and Nutrition (ACFN) today called on the Senate and other policy makers to focus on ways to build healthier communities through nutrition education and increased physical activity.

ACFN submitted a written statement to the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Competition, Infrastructure, and Foreign Commerce in response to its hearing, "The Rise of Obesity in Children."

"ACFN believes that solving the obesity problem is about maintaining a healthy lifestyle and achieving the proper energy balance between calories consumed and calories burned," testified ACFN Chair Susan Finn, Ph.D., RD. "The rise in obesity is the result of many complex factors. What we should keep in mind is the fact that, just as there is no single cause of obesity, there is no simple solution or one-size-fits-all answer."

According to ACFN, the key to reversing current obesity trends is to give children and parents the necessary tools to develop a lifetime of healthy habits. Programs highlighted in ACFN’s testimony include:

  • The Carol M. White Physical Education for Progress (PEP) grants distributed by the Department of Education to help schools improve physical education programs;
  • "Healthy Horizons," a community-based program in Owensboro, KY, that engages all residents in an effort to improve health and reduce obesity; and
  • The nationwide America On the Move™ program that aims to initiate and maintain measurable behavior changes to foster healthy lifestyles.

"As Congress assesses what needs to be done to combat childhood obesity in America, its focus should be on developing realistic programs that address the needs of American families," Finn continued. "These efforts should empower parents to make the best choices for their own personal health and nutrition goals, and to help their children learn nutrition and fitness habits that will sustain a lifetime of good health."

Finn also discussed some of the food and beverage industry's efforts to improve nutrition information and to encourage regular physical activity, such as introducing nutritious products and supporting health and wellness programs for employees.

Please visit www.acfn.org to see Dr. Finn’s written statement.

CONTACT
Laura Sheehan
202.715.1526
laura@acfn.org

Christine Tucci
202.715.1517
christine@acfn.org


ABOUT THE AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR FITNESS AND NUTRITION:
The American Council for Fitness and Nutrition (ACFN) is a non-profit organization that brings together food and beverage companies, associations, and health and nutrition advocates to work toward viable long-term solutions to the nation's obesity epidemic. ACFN represents a diverse group of organizations and is guided by an advisory board of experts in the fields of nutrition, physical activity and behavior change. ACFN works with partners to raise awareness of programs and policies that seek to improve health and wellness in America. For more information, please visit www.acfn.org.