Patricia Markham Risica, DrPH

Assistant Professor (Research) of Community Health

Institute for Community Health Promotion

The Food and Nutrition Section (FNS) has been very active in recent months.  I am very happy to report that the FNS conference program, after review of over 200 abstracts, is complete and ready for printing thanks to Sibylle Kranz.  Also, several policies were submitted on behalf of FNS including the resubmitted trans fat resolution, a new food safety resolution, policy statements on breastfeeding (with Maternal and Child Health), sustainable food systems (with Environmental Health), and three policies on physical activity by our physical activity colleagues who are working toward starting their own section. 

We are initiating a new Communications Committee to strategize the content of our various communication mechanisms including: the web site, e Communities (coming soon from APHA), a listserv or blast email system, and of course, the newsletter.  Congratulations to all of our section members who have contributed to the section already this year and all of you who are helping to move FNS forward now.

The Newsletter content will focus on Public Health nutrition topics that are important and timely, and to highlight specific activities in the area.  Angela Odoms-Young will again edit the Newsletter for FNS with the help of her Co-Editor, Sarah Forrestal.  This edition of the newsletter focuses on Childhood Obesity. The topic for the fall Newsletter will be Food Safety. Start thinking about articles on programs, research and advocacy related to this important Public Health topic that can be shared through the Newsletter. Janice Adams King, RN, MS and Sarah Fein, PhD from the Food Safety committee will serve as co-editors. The deadline for fall newsletter submissions is August 17, 2007.

What are your interests?  To meet all your informational needs, we would like to know more about the topical interests and professional environments of all our FNS members. Please take this very short survey to inform us all about your work.

Please go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=182753873036

and complete our quick survey and tell us more about you, if you have not already done so.

Please take a few minutes to consider how you would like to be active in the section!  There is certainly plenty of opportunity for all, and the more we all work together, the more effective APHA can be on issues related to Food and Nutrition.

Thanks for all of your ideas and energy,

Patti Risica

NEW ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER!!

Brown University

Box G-S121-8

Providence, RI 02903

401-863-6553

401-863-6551 - fax