NEWS

School of Public Health to raise awareness of youth overweight, obesity with diverse events

CHAPEL HILL -- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health will mark National Public Health Week, April 7 through 13, with a series of events designed to highlight the increasingly prevalent health risks associated with overweight and obesity.

"Getting in Shape for the Future: Healthy Eating and Active Living" is the theme of this year’s national observance, sponsored by the American Public Health Association.

"Activities will identify ways that UNC students can address these risks both on personal and professional levels, and present ideas for individuals and communities to shape up their future," said Nancy Pullen, chair of the school’s events and a graduate student, from Seattle, in the school’s Public Health Leadership Program.

"National Public Health Week is now commemorated in communities in 46 states and by 60 percent of local health departments," she said. "We are pleased and excited to take part in this very important public awareness campaign. Through the school’s activities, we hope to shed new light on the health effects of overweight and obesity, and prompt individuals and communities to improve their eating habits and activity levels."

Researchers now estimate that approximately two-thirds of all American adults are overweight or obese. "In addition, the proportion of children who are overweight has tripled since 1980," said Natasha Jamison, a graduate student from Cape Coral, Fla., in the department of health behavior and health education, and co-coordinator of the school’s events. "The epidemic is not limited to any particular age, race, ethnic group or gender."

The school’s observance will start Monday (April 7) with a Spirit Day, for which all students are asked to dress in Carolina blue and white and-or school insignia clothing. Tuesday’s (April 8) festivities will include a low-fat bake sale from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., to be held outside the lounge on the second floor of Rosenau Hall.

Organizers are planning a "brown bag" panel presentation on childhood and adolescent obesity for April 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Ibrahim Seminar Room, 1301 McGavran-Greenberg Hall.

Speakers include Dr. Eliana Perrin, a professor in the department of pediatrics in the School of Medicine and alumna of the Public Health Leadership Program, and Dr. Penny Gordon-Larsen, assistant professor in the department of nutrition, jointly housed at the schools of public health and medicine.

Kristen Kovach, a master’s degree student in the school’s department of health behavior and health education, and Dr. Meg Molloy, who obtained her doctorate in health policy and administration and master of public health in nutrition, both from the School of Public Health, round out the list of participants. Kovach and Molloy are both with N.C. Prevention Partners, a group of health and business organizations that work to improve the health of North Carolinians. Molloy will facilitate the discussion.

April 10 will be designated Bike to School Day. School water bottle cozies will be given to the first 50 students, faculty and staff who bike to campus and show their helmet at a check-in table located at the entrance of the courtyard near McGavran-Greenberg Hall from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. In the event of rain, check-in will be held outside the school lounge, on the second floor of Rosenau Hall.

On April 12, faculty, staff and students are encouraged to participate in the Girls on the Run 5K walk-run, to be held at Meadowmont at 8 a.m. Girls on the Run is a character development program for girls ages 8 through 12. A $20 registration fee benefits the program, and those interested in participating can register at www.girlsontheruntriangle.com.

For more information about National Public Health Week, click on the American Public Health Association Web site at www.apha.org/nphw. For up-to-date information about related School of Public Health events, click on www.sph.unc.edu.

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School of Public Health contact: Lisa Katz, (919) 966-7467 or lisa_katz@unc.edu
News Services contact: Deb Saine, (919) 962-8415