WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- American Council for Fitness and Nutrition (ACFN) advisory board member Cecilia Pozo-Fileti, M.S., R.D., FADA issued the following statement in regard to the UNITY 2004 conference:
"Obesity has reached epidemic proportions and has serious health implications in Hispanic communities. With the media's help, we can let Latinos know that they can adopt a healthy lifestyle without giving up
traditional foods and ingredients. With the right balance in regular physical activity and nutrition, Hispanics can achieve long-term health. ACFN encourages the media to recognize the important educational role it can play in combating obesity, particularly among at-risk populations.
The Latino community has been particularly hard hit by the obesity epidemic. For this reason the American Council for Fitness and Nutrition is collaborating with local leaders to educate and encourage as many citizens as possible regarding the importance of healthy lifestyle choices. ACFN has already begun a series of new initiatives to address these issue as part of our Salud: Un ingrediente para la familia (Health: An ingredient for the family) campaign. The campaign includes establishing ties to Hispanic grassroots organizations at the national and local levels and the development of materials and information kits to raise awareness about the obesity epidemic and its effects on the community."
Hispanic obesity rates are higher than rates among non-Hispanic whites and continue to grow. The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion reports that rates of obesity among Hispanics doubled between 1991 and 2001 from 11.6 percent to 23.7 percent. According to the National Center for Statistics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 23 percent of Hispanic males and 27.5 percent of Hispanic females are obese. These rates are higher than those for non-Hispanic whites, which are at 22 and 21 percent, respectively.
The American Council for Fitness and Nutrition (ACFN) is a non-profit association of more than 80 organizations, including the American Dietetic Association and the American Association of Diabetes Educators, and is guided by an Advisory Board of experts in the fields of nutrition, physical activity and behavior change. ACFN was formed in January 2003 by a coalition of food and beverage companies, trade associations and nutrition advocates to work toward comprehensive and achievable solutions to the nation's obesity epidemic.
SOURCE American Council for Fitness and Nutrition