Conference to promote active living and healthy eating for heart health
Monday, February 4, 2008
MESA, Ariz. — Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the No. 1 cause of death in America. According to the American Heart Association, approximately 2,400 Americans die each day from CVD.
To help understand and address these statistics, Arizona State University's departments of Exercise and Wellness and Nutrition will host physical activity, nutrition and wellness experts from around the world for the third annual Building Healthy Lifestyles Conference, Feb. 28-March 1, at ASU's Polytechnic campus in Mesa.
This conference brings together more than 200 health and wellness professionals to focus on this year's theme of reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) through healthy lifestyle changes. Speakers from the United States and Sweden will speak about making changes that could help save and/or add quality of life and years to your life.
“For more than 30 years we have known that diet and physical activity are related to CVD, however, CVD continues to be the leading cause of death,” said Barbara Ainsworth, ASU professor in the Department of Exercise and Wellness. “This conference will provide students and professionals in health-related fields with the current evidence between healthy lifestyle behaviors and CVD and provide them with the skill base to apply this evidence into practice.”
The author of the popular book, “Active Living Every Day,” Dr. Andrea Dunn from Klein-Buendel in Denver, Colo., is the keynote speaker. Dunn is a pioneer researcher in lifestyle physical activity interventions and has successfully advocated that lifestyle, home-based physical activity is as beneficial as structured, gym-based exercise in improving long-term fitness, health and wellness. Dunn also has done ground-breaking research to show that physical activity is effective in reducing the symptoms of depression.
“This conference will help support the push to improve health and wellness of all through active living and healthy eating,” said Ainsworth. “The conference shares the latest research in lifestyle practices with professionals in the United States, who can then help educate others about lifestyle changes for CVD health.”
The conference will feature various breakout sessions and skill building workshops throughout the three days.
he sessions will focus on topics of how to shop for heart healthy groceries, how to conduct lifestyle intervention studies, and how to reduce stress through mindfulness-based stress reduction practices.
For fee, program and registration information, visit www.bhlconference.com or call (480) 727-1945.
MEDIA CONTACT(S): Christine Lambrakis, 480/727-1173, 602/316-5616, lambrakis@asu.edu
|
