PRESS
Monterey County Weekly
Jan 27, 2005
Experts Confront Obesity at CSUMB
Reacting to the growing crisis of obesity in America, Monterey County business leaders and concerned organizations launched HELP (Healthy Eating Lifestyle Principals) in 2004. This Thursday, HELP, which is devoted to combating obesity in Monterey County, will hold a summit called “Growing Healthy Communities.”
Representatives from government, education, health care, business and non-profits will discuss local preventive and treatment programs.
“We want to bring together for the first time people from different sectors to understand from the experts the challenges of obesity prevention,” says HELP director Mike Pippi.
There will be 18 guest speakers, including A.G. Kawamura, the secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Speakers will address changing perceptions of food and health, the detrimental affects of obesity, as well as its psychological causes.
“There’s a large degree of awareness in California and the nation about obesity,” Pippi says. “We want to turn awareness into action.” The Summit goes from 8am until 2pm Thursday, Jan. 27, at CSUMB’s University Ballroom. [BG]