American Council For Fitness & Nutrition Encourages UNITY 2004 Journalists To Play Role In Struggle Against Obesity

Washington, DC - American Council for Fitness and Nutrition (ACFN) advisory board member Sharon Cox, R.D., M.S., C.D.E., will challenge UNITY 2004 journalists to expand their coverage of obesity's impact on the African-American community. The UNITY 2004 Conference will take place at the Washington, D.C. Convention Center August 4-8, 2004.

More than 7,000 media professionals will convene at UNITY 2004 to discuss strategies to promote diverse news coverage on a variety of issues, including health. Ms. Cox will encourage attendees to recognize the important educational role the media can play in combating obesity.

Obesity is having a devastating effect on African-Americans, particularly our youth. For this reason ACFN believes it is critical that we emphasize the importance of regular physical activity and balanced nutrition in achieving and maintaining life-long health. "As leaders in the community, we believe the media can assist us in this valuable endeavor," said Ms. Cox, an ACFN advisory board member and former president of the National Organization for Blacks in Dietetics and Nutrition (NOBIDAN).

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than half of U.S. adults are overweight or obese. Unhealthy weight trends are even more pronounced among African-Americans, with 60.1 percent of African-American men and 78 percent of African-American women identified as overweight. Additionally, 28.8 percent of African-American men and 50.8 percent of African-American women are classified as obese. This trend is not limited to adults, as the rates of obesity among African-American teens stand at 27 percent.

"The American Council for Fitness and Nutrition is collaborating with all sectors of society to educate as many people as possible about the importance of healthy lifestyle choices," said Ms. Cox. "UNITY 2004 journalists are an essential vehicle to ignite a level of change that will help bring down the overweight and obesity rates of African-Americans and others, one local community at a time," stressed Cox.

In an effort to help reduce and prevent obesity among African-Americans, ACFN recently launched an eight-week summer program to reach out to youth in Baltimore, Md. Summer Fun, Food & Fitness is designed to empower Baltimore youth to make more informed healthy lifestyle choices. The program, done in partnership with the Pleasant View Gardens Boys and Girls Club and the Baltimore International Culinary Institute, includes weekly interactive cooking segments, physical and nutrition education and an online learning component at www.kidnetic.com


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.