Published:
American Academy of Family Physicians and MetLife Foundation Collaborate to Introduce New Approach to Problem of Childhood Obesity
LEAWOOD, Kan., Sept. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Academy of
Family Physicians (AAFP) and the AAFP Foundation have announced a new
partnership with MetLife Foundation, which is providing a $215,000 grant to
fund a program to counter the national epidemic of childhood obesity. The
program is designed to empower family physicians with new ways to promote
physical activity, nutrition, and emotional well-being for the entire family.
The endeavor will be administered by Americans In Motion (AIM), an AAFP
initiative that improves the health of all Americans through multifaceted
fitness programs.
"In order to combat childhood obesity effectively, we need to target not
just the children, but the entire family," said Jim King, M.D., president of
the AAFP. "Children learn by example, and a household that, as a unit, makes
sure to include regular exercise and balanced diets in its day-to-day life is
much more likely to have children who are happy and healthy."
The partnership will produce and distribute an educational DVD and
children's book, for use in physician waiting rooms, that encourages patients
to talk with family physicians about fitness and to work together to develop a
plan that enables sustained healthy lifestyle choices among family members.
The educational materials, due to be distributed in the spring and summer of
2009 to more than 36,600 family physicians and 457 family medicine residency
training programs, will be available in both English and Spanish. The
materials will discuss fitness for the family, with a special emphasis on ways
to maintain fitness for children through a balance of physical activity,
nutrition, and emotional well-being.
"The family physician can help combat the growing threat of childhood
obesity, by providing families with much-needed information from a trusted
source," said Sibyl Jacobson, president of MetLife Foundation. "MetLife
Foundation is pleased to help support this program, which offers information
about the importance of making smart decisions that can result in longer,
healthier lives."
Today's children may have a shorter life expectancy than their parents
because of obesity-related illnesses. Almost 60 percent of Americans do not
get sufficient daily exercise, and almost 65 percent of Americans are
overweight or obese. The family physician conducts 210 million patient visits
each year, and is in a strong position to positively influence the fitness
habits of their patients, helping to fight childhood obesity on a national
scale.
MetLife Foundation was established by MetLife in 1976 to carry on its
longstanding tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement.
Grants support health, education, civic and cultural programs. For more
information about the Foundation, visit http://www.metlife.org.
Contact:
Ted Mitchell Adam Lee
MetLife Foundation American Academy of Family Physicians
(401) 827-3237 (800) 274-2237, ext. 5221
tjmitchell@metlife.com alee@aafp.org
SOURCE MetLife Foundation
Copyright © 2008, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2008, NewsBlaze,
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