In an effort to promote nutritious eating and living a healthy lifestyle, The Obesity Society (TOS) is recognizing National Nutrition Month®, the organization announced today.
“As a nation that has a major problem with obesity, we need to be aware that having a good diet, along with regular physical activity is critical,” said TOS Vice President Catherine “Cathy” Kotz, PhD, FTOS, professor and director of graduate studies at the University of Minnesota, Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology. Kotz is also acting associate director of research at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center in Minneapolis.
TOS President Steven B. Heymsfield, MD, FTOS, explained that beginning early in life, “childhood nutritional experiences influence life-long behaviors that foster healthy food habits in adulthood.” Heymsfield is professor and director of the Metabolism and Body Composition Laboratory at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La.
“Promotion of early nutrition education and physical activity, policy development and community-based intervention strategies to enhance healthy food choice behaviors are all important ingredients for optimizing health and eliminating chronic disease,” Heymsfield added.
Heymsfield, TOS Council member Jamy Ard, MD, FTOS, along with three other TOS members were named to the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee in February 2019. The 20-member committee comprised of nationally recognized scientists will review scientific evidence, along with comments from the public and federal agencies, to help form the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
TOS will mark National Nutrition Month® with a variety of social media posts. The public can watch online videos on the Society’s social media platforms featuring Heymsfield and other experts discussing the importance of nutrition. The Society will also feature a select number of articles in its e-newsletter on the topic of nutrition from its official journal Obesity.
On March 13, 2019, Registered Dietician Nutritionist Day will be held as part of the health observance. TOS will recognize its members who are registered dieticians with a special message on the Society’s social media channels.
Initiated in 1973 as National Nutrition Week, National Nutrition Month® became a month-long observance in 1980 in response to a growing interest in nutrition. Held annually in March, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is sponsoring this year’s campaign by offering information and education focused on the importance of making informed food choices, and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.
For more information, visit www.eatright.org.
Cover Image: Unsplash/rawpixel
