Women Legislators from across the Nation to Confront National Childhood Obesity Epidemic
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (PRWEB) September 18, 2013 -- Women In Government will bring together women legislators from across the nation for a Childhood Obesity Task Force meeting in Oklahoma City, OK on September 21-22, 2013 to explore how policy changes at the state level can improve health in communities and help reverse the childhood obesity epidemic nationwide.
Legislators and policy experts will discuss how to improve access to healthy, affordable foods; increase opportunities for physical activity during the school day and after-school; and the positive economic impact of childhood obesity prevention policies. For more information about the Childhood Obesity Task Force meeting, visit: http://www.womeningovernment.org/COTF2013.
“We are thrilled to bring together women policy-makers from across the nation to work together to ensure the health of our children, our families and our communities,” said Majorie Maginn, president and executive director of Women in Government. “While we are beginning to see improvements in childhood obesity rates in some parts of the country, it’s important that we continue to develop partnerships and promote policy changes that increase access to healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity.”
Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett will provide a keynote address on his efforts to improve Oklahoma City’s livability and resident’s access to healthy foods. Other speakers include Ava Young, healthy out-of-school time manager at the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, an organization founded by the American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation; and John Weidman, deputy executive director for The Food Trust, an organization dedicated to increasing food access based in Philadelphia, PA.
Women in Government’s focus on childhood obesity is made possible by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through the Leadership for Healthy Communities program. Women In Government’s recently created Childhood Obesity Policy Resource Center provides resources to support legislators in their efforts to implement policies that increase physical activity and access to healthy affordable foods.
“We know women legislators play a critical role in advancing policies to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic,” said Maya Rockeymoore, director of Leadership for Healthy Communities. “We are proud to be working with Women in Government to improve the health of our communities nationwide.”
Women In Government Foundation, Inc., headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a national, non-profit, non-partisan organization of women state legislators that provides leadership opportunities, networking expert forums, and educational resources to address and resolve complex public policy issues to all 1,788 women state legislators.
Dyan Alexander, Women In Government, http://www.womeningovernment.org, +1 (202) 333-0825 242, [email protected]
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