American Council for Fitness and Nutrition Working with USDA

Release Date: 
June 10, 2008

American Council for Fitness and Nutrition Working with USDA

Partnering With MyPyramid Helps Educate Americans on Healthy Living and Eating

Washington, DC. - June 10, 2008 - The American Council for Fitness and Nutrition (ACFN) has answered the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) call to join the Partnering with MyPyramid: Corporate Challenge. This collaboration showcases the role industry and government share in encouraging healthier eating and physical fitness in the American family.

"The Partnering with MyPyramid challenge complements ACFN's commitment to finding long-term solutions to the problem of obesity in America," notes ACFN CEO and President Susan Finn, PhD, RD, LD, FADA. "Our members and sponsors are fully engaged in helping families create and sustain healthier lifestyles and welcome the opportunity to work with USDA."

ACFN's Healthy Schools Partnership, which was successfully piloted in urban Kansas City primary schools in 2007 and early 2008, integrates nutrition education into the PE4Life physical education program. "The goal of this multifaceted approach is to reinforce the critical link between nutrition and physical education as expressed in MyPyramid. We are helping children grasp the fact that how much they eat and how active they are must be in balance for optimal health," Finn explains. "Children then take this knowledge home with them to influence family food choices." The Healthy Schools Partnership will expand to more schools in fall of 2008.

"The increasing problems of obesity and poor eating habits among America's children are undoubtedly complicated issues, but what is often overlooked is the one place where a deliberate, positive trend toward change could take place tonight - the family home," notes Dr. Brian Wansink, executive director for USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. "By connecting with families to help them make better food choices and encourage more physical activity, we can make an immediate change with lasting impact."