Title: Message from the Chair

Author: Deirdra Chester, Food and Nutrition Section Chair Deirdra.Chester@ars.usda.gov  

Section/SPIG: Food and Nutrition

Issue Date:

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We are right in the middle of a most exciting year.  I would like to update you on the activities of the Food and Nutrition Section.  First of all, I want to send out a big “thank you” for all of your hard work in planning for this year’s Annual Meeting and also for making our Section a success.

We are well under way with planning the sessions for the APHA Annual Meeting to be held Oct. 29 – Nov. 2, 2011 in Washington, D.C.  This year’s theme is Healthy Communities Promote Healthy Minds & Bodies.  The Program Committee has done an excellent job!  We will be co-sponsoring some very exciting sessions with the Physical Activity SPIG, Mental Health, Epidemiology and the Environment and Breastfeeding Forum.  Thanks to all of you who donated your time and served as reviewers for abstracts submitted to the Section.  We ask that you also consider serving as a moderator or moderator assistant for a presentation at the Annual Meeting.  If you are interested, please contact Program Chair Ann Middleton.  

We are continuing work with the Fundraising Committee.  We are embarking on a drive for funds to help support our Section.  Please check our our letter below.  Our goal is to raise $5,000 by this year’s meeting.  If you are a member and would like to donate, please go to http://www.apha.org/about/donate/landing and click on “Donate.”  Please be sure to click on the Food and Nutrition Section when making your donation.

The midyear meeting was a success.  It provided an opportunity to meet with APHA staff and discuss our activities for the fall.  We still need your expertise on our upcoming policy statements, including revising the sodium policy.  Please consider writing a policy statement in your area of expertise if you think APHA is the appropriate organization to sponsor.

Sarah Forrestal and Rachel Fisher, along with their guest co-editors, are doing a great job editing the F&N newsletter. This edition highlights articles on social media and nutrition, thanks to the efforts of guest co-editors Melinda Boyd, Sara Coulter, and Amita Toprani. If you would like to contribute to a future edition, get in touch at FNSnewsletter@gmail.com.  The deadline for the next newsletter is Sept. 12, 2011.  The next edition will feature articles on school wellness and the work environment.

In closing, I would like you all to get involved in F&N; this is your section!  With more of us working, each one of us is working less!

Thank you all for your hard work and commitment in making our section great!

Deirdra Chester, F&N Chair