Healthier US Fitness Festival Demonstrates
Benefits of Physical Activity
The National Mall was an active place on June 16 as the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) joined forces with the Congressional Fitness Caucus to present the Healthier US Fitness Festival. The goal of the festival was to showcase and promote the benefits of physical activity for Americans of all ages and abilities. In addition to the more than 45 organizations represented, special guests including HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona and PCPFS Executive Director Melissa Johnson addressed the crowd. Congressional Fitness Caucus Co-Chairs Congressman Zach Wamp (R-Tenn.) and Mark Udall (D-Utah) also joined in on the fun.

At the festival, American Council for Fitness and Nutrition advisory board member Lisa Katic, R.D., provided portion-size demonstrations for different foods and beverages while stressing the need to align caloric intake with appropriate levels of physical activity. Additionally, ACFN distributed a "Walking in Washington, D.C." map that shows the distance in steps between landmarks in and around the National Mall and gives estimated calorie expenditures based on the number of steps. To download the map, visit http://www.acfn.org/resources/walkingmap.pdf.

The festival gave ACFN an opportunity to reach the public with our message about the importance of achieving a healthy, balanced lifestyle. It was also an excellent occasion to speak with administration officials, congressional staff and grassroots organizations about ACFN’s commitment to working toward solutions to the nation’s obesity epidemic.

ACFN Welcomes New Advisory Board Members
In June, Albert Barrocas, M.D., of Tulane University, George L. Blackburn, M.D., Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School, and Sharon Cox, M.S., R.D., C.D.E., of the National Organization of Blacks in Dietetics and Nutrition (NOBIDAN) became the newest additions to ACFN’s Advisory Board. The Advisory Board serves as a crucial guiding force for promoting programs and policies that help individuals, families and communities strike a healthy balance in their lifestyles. Along with 25 other experts, these three health professionals will bring valuable insight as ACFN continues to work toward long-term solutions to the nation’s obesity epidemic.

Dr. Barrocas currently serves on the faculty at Tulane University and on the staff at Pendleton Memorial Methodist Hospital in New Orleans. Dr. Blackburn is a professor and associate director of the Nutrition Division at Harvard Medical School. Ms. Cox is a clinical dietitian at Bluitt-Flowers Health Center at the Parkland Health and Hospital System in Dallas. She also serves as a representative for the National Organization of Blacks in Dietetics and Nutrition.

ACFN’S Salud con Sabor Festival Celebrates
Healthy Living
On June 19, 2004, in partnership with the National Supermarkets Association, ACFN hosted its first Salud con Sabor (Health with Flavor) Festival at the Corona Food Plaza in Queens, New York. The Saturday event served to raise awareness about community health through music, contests and raffles. The festival also featured:



  • Nutrition Information: Participants received bi-lingual information regarding portions, healthier methods of preparing foods and nutritional values of traditional Latin foods.

  • Physical Activity: The event featured contests aimed at reinforcing the importance of being active while incorporating the family, such as walking together after dinner and setting wellness goals.

  • Food Demonstrations: Participants sampled traditional recipes with a healthy flair which were prepared by Rafael Palomino, one of the first chefs to perfect what has become known as Nuevo Latino cuisine. The demonstrations included salsas, soups and grilled entrees.

Hispanics are the fastest growing and the largest minority group in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) National Center for Statistics’ National Health Interview Survey (January – September 2003) showed that 23 percent of Hispanic males and 27.4 percent of Hispanic females are obese. These statistics underscore the importance of reaching out to the Hispanic community.

ACFN plans for this first festival to serve as a turnkey model that can be implemented in Hispanic communities across the country.

ACFN’S Summer Fun, Food & Fitness Aimed
at Combating Obesity
ACFN’s Summer Fun, Food & Fitness program kicked off on June 29 at the Pleasant View Gardens Boys and Girls Club in Baltimore, with 200 children and a number of special guests including Representative Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), Baltimore Ravens defensive back Lamont Brightful and several state and local Baltimore city leaders.


Summer Fun, Food & Fitness is an eight-week community-based summer program aimed at educating youth about the importance of nutritional balance and physical activity at home, in school and in the community. This integrated approach to health and wellness is being implemented in cooperation with the Boys and Girls Club of Central Maryland, the Baltimore International College School of Culinary Arts and the International Food Information Council Foundation.

Each week, participating children will learn about nutrition through activities that will teach them about portion size, nutritional balance and how to make fun, healthy meals and snacks. The program will incorporate www.kidnetic.com and its interactive components into a regular curriculum of physical activity at the Pleasant View Gardens Club. The children will also visit the Baltimore Ravens’ training camp and receive sporting equipment.

According to the CDC, while more than half of U.S. adults are overweight or obese, unhealthy weight trends are even more pronounced among African Americans. Today, nearly 80 percent of African American women and more than 60 percent of African American men are estimated to be overweight or obese. Among African American teens, 46 percent are overweight and 27 percent are obese.

Battle Against Obesity Gains Momentum in the U.S. Senate
In late June, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) joined forces to introduce the Childhood Obesity Reduction Act (S. 2551). This bipartisan legislation empowers local schools to develop and implement programs designed to reduce and prevent obesity among American youth. ACFN applauds the Senators’ efforts to provide teachers, children and parents with information and resources to assist them in making the best lifestyle choices regarding nutrition and physical activity.

As the American Council for Fitness and Nutrition works to promote the importance of balanced nutrition and physical activity in achieving healthy lifestyles, we welcome you to contact us with feedback or questions via the web at www.acfn.org or via email to info@acfn.org.