Living Well April 16, 2008

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

By Teresa Griswold

Jackson conference to focus on healthy futures
The future of health begins with instilling healthy habits in both youth and adults.
A national health conference to be held at Snow King Resort next week has the potential to change the way people think about healthy lifestyles in Wyoming. After a three-year respite, “Shaping a Healthy Future IV: A Rocky Mountain Conference” returns focused on promoting health through eating smart, enjoying pleasurable exercise and fostering a positive body image.

“The purpose of the conference is to promote the adoption of enjoyable and healthy lifestyles related to food, physical activity and body image independent of size, shape, or age,” said Mindy Meuli of Wellness In Wyoming (or WIN Wyoming). Meuli is also this year’s conference co-chair.

 “You don’t have to look like the model in a magazine to be healthy,” said Mary Kay Wardlaw, the conference’s marketing co-chair. “It is about promoting healthy eating without expecting unrealistic results.”

The conference, which will run from April 23 to 25, brings influential speakers and professionals together.

A strong slate of speakers will present family, school and community perspectives on current health issues. They will also discuss research topics and offer practical tips on healthy living.

“We have a variety of nationally and internationally known researchers, authors and experts, who are very well respected in their fields,” Meuli said. “They will be showcasing available resources, highlighting successful projects and providing skills and tools.”

Brian Wansink, the recently appointed director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Center for Policy and Promotion and author of “Mindless Eating,” will start the conference with a presentation of his MyPyramid Menu Planner. Wansink designed the tool to help Americans improve their food choices. The menu tool can be found at www.mypyramid.gov, where users can create their own meal planner.

Susan Linn of the Harvard School of Medicine is scheduled to speak about marketing and commercialization’s effect on children’s health. Other speakers will include Jennifer Orlet Fisher from the Baylor School of Medicine on how caregivers and parents influence children’s eating habits; Russell Pate from the University of South Carolina on ways to increase physical activity in youth; and Dayle Hayes, a consultant in Montana, on improving the health of school environments.

Additional speakers will cover topics such as creating communities that support walking, bicycling and other physical activity; improving family mealtimes; and incorporating size-acceptance into a healthy lifestyle.

This year, the conference adds a youth component to the discussion in collaboration with Wyoming Action for Healthy Kids. These discussions will stress the importance of family mealtimes, as well as feeding infants and children in ways that establish lifelong healthy eating styles.

The conference includes physical activity breaks and “walk-the-talk” exercises.  Participants can try Qi Gong, yoga and GeoMat classes. In addition, there will be a fair booth with some 40 displays of field educators and practitioners promoting healthy lifestyles through food, physical activity and acceptance of body-size diversity.
Conference organizers say they are expecting participants from across the country. “It’s really an amazing turnout with 20 different states outside of Wyoming represented,” Wardlaw said. “Many people are returning from previous conferences because they like the format and the speakers.”

Although space is limited, there are still a few open spots for people. Registration costs $229 for the full conference, with reduced prices for members of the Wyoming Dietetic Association, Wyoming Action for Healthy Kids and WIN Wyoming. Half and full day passes are available as well. For a complete agenda and to register on line, go to http://outreach.uwyo.edu/conferences/healthyfutures/.

The conference is co-hosted by the Wyoming Dietetic Association, WIN Wyoming, Wyoming Action for Healthy Kids, and University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service, Family and Consumer Sciences.

COURTESY PHOTO
Mindy Meuli of Wellness In Wyoming.

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Living Well April 16, 2008 | Planet JH News Article: Living Well

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