National Nutrition Week provides great free resources for families

This month we remember our friends at the Public Health Department.

Every year around the second week in April, the nation recognizes National Public Health week.  This year, over 200 partners supported this even with almost 400 public health events registered throughout the country.

Here are some of the highlights of this year's celebration:

• NPHW kick-off forum: APHA hosted a panel discussion on “Creating the Healthiest Nation Through System Transformation.”  We heard an inspiring keynote address from Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Health Howard Koh, MD, MPH. The address was followed by a discussion with Steven Woolf, MD, MPH, director of the Center on Society and Health at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Brian Castrucci, MA, chief program and strategy officer at the de Beaumont Foundation, with APHA Executive Director Georges Benjamin, MD, serving as moderator. 
  
  The live panel was held at the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington, D.C., and included a reception immediately after. The forum was also broadcast live on the Web and recorded, so those of you who missed the event can still view it.
   
• Leading health indicators webinar: This webinar featured HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Howard Koh, MD, MPH; APHA Executive Director Georges Benjamin, MD; and Joy Reed, EdD, RN, head of the Local Technical Assistance and Training Branch within the North Carolina Division of Public Health. They discussed progress made to date on the leading health indicators and efforts needed for further improvement.Download the “Healthy People 2020 Leading Health Indicators: Progress Update” report for more information, or click here to view the webinar slides.
   
• Twitter chat: This year’s Twitter chat was record breaking. We welcomed 1,099 participants, generated 5,339 tweets and became the top nonpromoted hashtag on Twitter during the time of the event. If you missed the chat, you can read the transcript.
   
• Food Justice, Obesity & the Social Determinants of Health webinar: The webinar was part of a four-part webinar series about food, justice and health equity. Speakers included Shiriki Kumanyika, PhD, MPH, APHA president-elect, and Cecilia Martinez, PhD, of the Center for Earth, Energy & Democracy. 
   
• Chronic Disease, Air Pollution & Public Health: Risk, Prevention & Preparedness tele-townhall: The discussion featured U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy and HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Howard Koh, MD, MPH, with APHA Executive Director Georges Benjamin, MD, serving as moderator. The discussion focused on the health impacts of air pollution, including worsening conditions due to climate change. 
   
• Active Transportation Google+ Hangout on Air: APHA hosted a live Google+ Hangout focused on active transportation’s role in helping the United States become the healthiest nation in one generation. The conversation kicked off with opening remarks from Acting Surgeon General Rear Admiral Boris D. Lushniak, MD, MPH. You can view the recording on the <a data-cke-saved-href="http://action.apha.org/site/R?i=Nxc0AIpJamjqe6EdbSDd5w" href="http://action.apha.org/site/R?i=Nxc0AIpJamjqe6EdbSDd5w" sarlo\appdata\local\microsoft\windows\temporary="" internet="" files\content.outlook\vww87641\acting="" surgeon="" general="" rear="" admiral="" boris="" d.="" lushniak,="" md,="" mph!"="" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; color: blue;">NPHW website.

Nourish Thought for the Day:  

Take advantage of the wonderful free health resources that are available right in your own community.