STRATEGIC ALLIANCE NEWSLETTER

December 2004

Welcome to the latest newsletter from the Strategic Alliance, in which we provide information about the upcoming 2005 Childhood Obesity Conference (January 9-12, 2005, San Diego, CA), including:

• The Strategic Alliance Membership meeting ,
• The listening session for the Governor's Summit on the Prevention of Obesity, and
• Two pre-conference sessions: Policy Making 101-Building your Advocacy Toolkit and Walkable Community -- Creating opportunities to get more Californians walking.

In addition, we feature upcoming events and resources of interests.

As always, we appreciate your feedback and suggestions for future issues, and urge you to visit the website, eatbettermovemore.org, on a regular basis.

Strategic Alliance Membership Meeting
California Childhood Obesity Conference
Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2005
5:30-7 PM

Location: Elizabeth C. Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel, San Diego

With obesity, poor nutrition and inactivity a high priority for Governor Schwarzenegger and his administration, this is an exciting year for taking action. Please join other Strategic Alliance members as we share ideas for the greatest priorities for improving food and activity environments and strategize around advocacy in California. Light refreshments will be served. Informal networking will follow from 7-8 PM. Please RSVP to Jasmine, jasmine@preventioninstitute.org, if you will be attending.

Listening Session for the Governor's Summit on Obesity
Monday, Jan. 10, 2005
8:00-8:45 AM

Location: Elizabeth C. Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel, San Diego

After a brief overview on the upcoming Governor's Summit on Obesity Prevention by Alex Kelter, attendees will be given the opportunity to provide written recommendations about priorities for obesity prevention in California. These recommendations will be summarized on the final day of the Childhood Obesity Conference and will be included in a summary for attendees of the Governor's Summit on Obesity, to be held in February. You may also submit comments online by visiting nature.berkeley.edu/cwh/activities/gov_summit.shtml.

Please Note: If you are also interested in attending the conference, it is highly recommended that you register ahead of time. Onsite registration may not be possible due to space restrictions. You can register online by visiting https://www.cce.csus.edu/WebReg/CTSRegistration/coConfReg.cfm.

Pre-Conference Sessions
Sunday, Jan. 9, 2005
11 AM-4 PM

Policy Making 101 -- Building your Advocacy Toolkit

Location: America's Cup ABCD

Co-sponsored by the California Nutrition Council and the Strategic Alliance, this session will cover:

• The reasons that nutrition and physical activity policies are critical to improving our health;
• The effectiveness of policy in helping the public make healthier choices, highlighting underserved communities;
• The value of getting involved in policy and ways to use your time and resources effectively to impact change;
• Ways to overcome barriers to entering the policy world;
• Effective strategies for working with policy leaders;
• Ways you can stay updated on current policies and how to track bills; and
• Ways policy and advocacy organizations can work together to better serve your needs.

Cost: $65, including: meeting materials, one year membership in the California Nutrition Council, and lunch. Register online: https://www.cce.csus.edu/WebReg/CTSRegistration/coConfReg.cfm.

Walkable Community -- Creating opportunities to get more Californians walking
Location: TBA

Sponsored by the California Center for Physical Activity, California Department of Health Services, this workshop will highlight:

• Links between public health and the built environment;
• Environmental and policy changes that increase community-wide physical activity such as walking and biking;
• Safe routes to school and safe transit routes which facilitate more school-aged children walking to and from school; and
• Model programs and best practices on how to promote walking and biking among children such as Walk to School Week activities.

Cost: $65, including: a neighborhood walkability audit, a pedometer, transit pass, handout materials, and lunch. Register online: https://www.cce.csus.edu/WebReg/CTSRegistration/coConfReg.cfm.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Save the Date!
ENACT: Nutrition and Activity Day
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Sacramento

The Strategic Alliance for Healthy Food & Activity Environments, the California State PTA and the California Park and Recreation Society are co-sponsoring the third annual ENACT: Nutrition and Activity Day on Thursday, April 28, 2005. On this day, parents, health professionals, community advocates, students, educators and others concerned about nutrition and physical activity will gather in Sacramento to meet with legislators about policy solutions to the obesity epidemic.

You can register online by visiting http://www.cfpa.net/ENACT2005/registration.htm, or for more information, contact Jessica at 415-777-4422 x129 or jreich@cfpa.net.

California Working Families Policy Summit 2005
Jan. 7, 2005
Sacramento

Sponsored by the California Center for Research on Women and Families, the California Legislative Women's Caucus, and the California Commission on the Status of Women. The 4th Working Families Policy Summit will feature advocates presenting proposals on an array of issues affecting California's working families, including nutrition, physical activity, health, welfare, and child care. Prevention Institute is a co-sponsor. For more information and to register, visit the California Center for Research on Women and Families' website at ccrwf.org.

California Superintendents' Challenge

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell and the California Task Force on Youth and Workplace Wellness are challenging school districts and county offices of education across California to improve the health of students through the development and implementation of policies that promote proper nutrition and regular physical activity. If you plan to apply for the Superintendents' Challenge, you must also return the Intent to Submit form by Monday, January 31, 2005. Intent to Submit Forms and Challenge Award Applications are available online at wellnesstaskforce.org. The official application must be submitted no later than Friday, April 1, 2005.

Save the Date!
2005 American School Health Association Conference
Oct. 19-22, 2005
Burbank

The conference theme is "Supersize Prevention: Obesity, Diabetes and Other Critical Issues." Abstract submission deadline is Feb. 11, 2005. Visit ashaweb.org for more conference information.

RESOURCES

2004 County by County Profiles on hunger and nutrition
California Food Policy Advocates has released county profiles which include data on eligibility and participation for school lunch, food stamps, summer meals and CACFP, as well as a series of nutrition and health indicators. Among the key findings: due to low participation and the 1,400-plus schools that don't offer school breakfast, California turns away more than $437 million in federal school breakfast funding each year. Given the nutrition problems in your community, we can't afford to lose any nutrition funding, much less resources of this magnitude. To download your county's profile, please visit www.cfpa.net/press/press_page.htm.

Portion Distortion Interactive Quiz
Check to see if you know how today's portions compare to the portions available 20 years ago, by quizzing yourself on Portion Distortion I (2003) and Portion Distortion II (2004). You will also learn about the amount of physical activity required to burn off the extra calories provided by today's portions. Access the quiz through hin.nhlbi.nih.gov/portion/index.htm.

WHAT IS THE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE?

The Strategic Alliance is reframing the debate on nutrition and physical activity, away from a focus on individual choice and lifestyle, towards one of environment and corporate and government responsibility. Current Steering Committee members are: California Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program (CANFit), California Center for Public Health Advocacy, California Food Policy Advocates, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, California Parks and Recreation Society, California Project LEAN, California WIC Association, Child Care Food Program Roundtable, Latino Health Access, Prevention Institute, Samuels & Associates and YMCA of the East Bay.

HOW TO BECOME A MEMBER

The Strategic Alliance is currently engaged in building a broad and diverse statewide membership. To join or for more information, please visit us on the Web, eatbettermovemore.org, or contact Sana Chehimi at 510.444.7738 or sana@preventioninstitute.org. And even if you're already a member, please forward this message on to your colleagues so we can continue to strengthen our coalition. Thank you!

The Strategic Alliance is supported by funding from The California Endowment.

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