ACFN UNVEILS BLUEPRINTS FOR HEALTHY FAMILIES, HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

Guides Written by ADA Practice Group Leaders to Help Minority Communities Adopt and Maintain Healthier Lifestyles

Washington, DC –The American Council for Fitness and Nutrition (ACFN) today 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 were both written by dieticians and 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 Filet, 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.

ACFN will widely disseminate the blueprints across the country, targeting local, state and national leaders, advocates and health care experts. The blueprints will be made available at many events and on the ACFN website, empowering those who want to make a different with their families and communities. ACFN believes the adaptation of the various components in the blueprints will lead to the promotion and sustainability of healthier lifestyles in this country.

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.

The complete text of both blueprints can be found on ACFN’s website at www.acfn.org.

CONTACT
Laura Borden
202-715-1526
laura.borden@dittus.com

The American Council for Fitness and Nutrition (ACFN) is a nonprofit 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.