Message from the Chair
I’m happy to send you my first message as the new chair of the Food and Nutrition Section. Unfortunately, we had a computer snag with the Winter Newsletter so this is the first message since the start of my term. The Section had a very productive year in 2005 that will, hopefully, be followed by equally impressive accomplishments in 2006. Last year, under the leadership of Charlene Sanders, we:
Ø Developed talking points upon the release of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines. Dr. Yvonne Bronner, Section member and member of the Dietary Guidelines Expert Committee, gave two media interviews on behalf of APHA.
Ø Surveyed APHA state affiliates regarding advocacy for healthy weight and other food and nutrition topics.
Ø Developed a policy implementation strategy to promote and engage state affiliates in APHA policy awareness and advocacy activities.
Ø Conducted a policy implementation strategy with state affiliates using Policy 2003-17, ‘Food marketing and Advertising Directed at Children and Adolescents: Implications for Overweight’ to model potential advocacy activities. Section innovation in this area will serve as a model for other Sections in working with affiliates on policy implementation.
Ø Authored article in The Nations Health on work with affiliates.
Ø Sponsored policy statement, ‘Supporting the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health’.
Ø Organized an exhibit booth for the APHA Annual Meeting to highlight the Section, Section activities, and food and nutrition materials.
Ø Raised funds to support student monitor’s registration fees to the annual meeting.
Ø Recommended 15 graduate and undergraduate students for GEICO-supported, one year APHA student memberships.
Ø Developed obesity talking points to be used by APHA leadership in communicating with politicians, media and the general public.
Ø Reviewed and updated the Section strategic plan.
Ø Published three newsletters to keep membership informed of Section activities and food and nutrition related issues.
Ø Recommended members for the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies committee that will review and make recommendations regarding appropriate nutritional standards for the availability, sale, content, and consumption of foods at school. Dr. Mary Story will participate on this expert committee.
Ø Planned program for Annual Meeting that includes 20 scientific sessions, four poster sessions, and a technology theater session. This is the first year that the Section has sponsored a technology session.
Ø Developed a Section response to the WIC IOM report encouraging APHA to work with USDA to implement the recommendations in the report.
In 2006, we will build upon the Section’s previous work, as well as expand our emphases and outreach.
Our focus on child obesity will be strengthened as we develop concrete strategies to address this important issue. One of our top 2006 priorities will be to explore whether the Food and Nutrition Section should expand to include Physical Activity, bridging a gap in our work toward stemming the obesity epidemic. In the area of obesity prevention, collaboration is critical and currently there is no “home” for Physical Activity. Susan Kayman has agreed to research this issue for us and develop a plan for future action.
The work of the Food Safety Committee is very vital and is bringing our Section into a new area of leadership. This committee will continue to play a vigorous role in 2006 as we work to adopt a general resolution on food safety.
Section membership remains a priority area for 2006. We will encourage each member to bring others, especially students into the Section. Further, we plan to continue to highlight benefits of the Section and develop a formal mentoring program. This expansion of membership and a mentoring program should also help to diversify our membership in ways which will benefit the Section and our focus on food and nutrition policy.
We will build on existing efforts to establish strong Section’s linkages with the affiliates. As you know, under the leadership of Patti Risica, our Section conducted a survey of affiliate needs in the area of supporting healthy weights. She found that many affiliates had an interest in programs and activities related to healthy weights and wanted additional support from the Section including fact sheets and other resources. We can send information to affiliates, direct them to relevant information on our Web site, and work with them to link to existing state legislation. In 2006 we will consider the development of a comprehensive plan for fuller communication with affiliates, advising them on activities they can do and supporting their efforts.
I look forward to working with you during this exciting year for our Section and for our field of food and nutrition. Please continue your past efforts and work with us to increase our membership and our influence. At this time I’d like to welcome all our new 2006 Board members: Marcia Thomas, Matthew Marsom, Lisa Sutherland, Sibylle Kranz and Gail Woodward-Lopez as well as the continuing members: Charlene Sanders, Bettiina Beech, Deirdra Chester, Barbara Laraia, Sarah Samuels, Mary Story, Carole Garner, Joan Trendall, L. Beth Dixon, Katrina Holt, Eileen Parish, Sara Fein, Paul Cotton, Noel Chavez, Angela Odoms-Young, Sonya Jones, Geraldine Perry-Allen, Sue Foerster, Ruth Palombo and Lissa Ong.
We have a dynamite team - stay tuned!
Pat Crawford