Workshops

 

 

RESEARCH TRACK

 

Obesity, Epigenetics and the Lifecycle

This workshop will increase the audiences awareness of the importance of the preconception and perinatal environment on the long term consequences related to energy metabolism and obesity. It will address potential interventions during the lifecourse that may reduce the risk for later life obesity.

Michael Lu, Associate Professor, University of California, Los Angeles

Richard Simerly, Professor of Pediatrics, Director, Saban Neuroscience Program, University of Southern California

Naomi Stotland, Assistant Professor, University of California, San Francisco

Moderator: Suzanne Haydu, Nutrition and Physical Activity Coordinator, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Program, California Department of Public Health

 

Can Interactive Media Games Really Increase Physical Activity and Reduce Overweight and Obesity in Children?

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In this session, findings will be shared from various studies of interactive media games, including “Dance, Dance Revolution” and its affect on the body mass indexes of a diverse group of overweight children aged 9 to 18-years-old. Also featured will be an overview of a computer-based interactive multimedia curriculum for promoting physical activity in fourth grade children; the relative associations of television viewing and interactive media use with body fat and body mass index, controlling for both physical activity and cardiovascular fitness in female high school adolescents; and patterns and determinants of moderate to vigorous physical activity of youth ages 9 to 15, 25 percent were from low-income families.

Kristine Madsen, Research Director, Division of General Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco

Donna Spruijt-Metz, Assistant Professor of Research, Department of Preventative Medicine, University of Southern California

Moderator: Thomas Robinson, Professor, Division of General Pediatrics, Stanford Prevention Research Center

 

 

HEALTHCARE TRACK

 

Improving Childhood Obesity Care

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This 90 minute workshop will highlight the new Healthcare Effectiveness Data Information Set (HEDIS) measures for body mass index (BMI) measurement and counseling for children along with state and national initiatives to prevent and treat childhood obesity. Clinical care quality improvement strategies along with state and national strategies and resources will be featured.

Scott Gee, Medical Director, The Permanente Medical Group, Inc.

Victoria Rogers, Director, Kids CO-OP, The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital, Maine Medical Center

Harvinder Sareen, Director of Clinical Programs, Wellpoint State Sponsored Business

Moderator: Richard Siedman, Medical Director, L.A. Care Health Plan

 

Putting Childhood Obesity Guidelines into Practice

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This session will feature practical guidelines for the primary care practitioner to use when assessing and treating childhood obesity. The guidelines are based on best practice models from the American Medical Association-sponsored Expert Committee's Recommendations on Childhood Overweight and Obesity, the Institute of Medicines Prevention of Childhood Obesity: The Role of the Health Care Sector and the East Carolina University Pediatric Healthy Weight Research and Treatment Center's Medical Nutrition Therapy Protocol. This session will provide participants with clear guidelines that are ready-to-use in the provider office setting.

Sarah Barlow, Pediatric Gastroenterology Physician, Texas Children's Hospital

Kathryn Kolasa, Associate Director, Departments of Family Medicine and Pediatrics, The Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University

Thomas Robinson, Professor, Division of General Pediatrics, Stanford Prevention Research Center

Moderator: Jeff Kamil, Vice President and Senior Medical Director, Anthem Blue Cross

 

Diverse Communities and Healthcare Working Together

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This workshop will describe challenges and opportunities in work to prevent and manage childhood obesity in diverse minority communities in the United State (including Native American, Latino, and African American populations). The presenters are leaders of innovative prevention programs.

Katherine Kaufer Christoffel, Pediatrician, Center on Obesity Management and Prevention, Children’s Memorial Hospital

Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan, Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford Prevention Research Center

Wendelin Slusser, Medical Director, FIT for Healthy Weight Program, Mattel Children’s Hospital, University of California, Los Angeles

Moderator: Antronette Yancey, Professor, Department of Health Services, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles

 

Changing Healthcare Environments

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This workshop highlights exciting changes in healthcare environments that create a positive impact on pediatric obesity. Hospital breastfeeding practices, changes in hospital food service/vending machines and an example of community mobilization in a diverse, economically challenged environment will be showcased by four expert speakers as evidence of the positive environmental changes in health care settings are doable and when done they improve breastfeeding rates, patient and hospital staff eating choices and provider connection with patients and the community.

Karen Peters, Executive Director, Breastfeeding Task Force of Greater Los Angeles, Lactation Consultant, Birth and Beyond Project

Jan Sanders, National Food Service Director, Kaiser Permanente

Rosa Soto, Regional Director, California Center for Public Health Advocacy

Amy Porter, Pediatrician, Baldwin Park Kaiser Permanente Medical Center

Moderator: Loel Solomon, Director, Community Health Initiatives and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente

 

Policies and Weight – Don’t Wait

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Don’t wait – come hear how you can make a difference. This interactive workshop will not only provide insights into how the government uses pediatric nutrition surveillance data to understand and direct policy issues but also inspire thought provoking discussions on how Medicaid policies and state-based strategies can be used to combat pediatric obesity.

Barbara Polhamus, Behavioral Scientist, Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Nancy Lopez, Research Scientist, Department of Health Policy, George Washington University

Joseph Thompson, Director, Center for Health Improvement

Moderator: Jonathan Fielding, Director of Public Health and Health Officer, Los Angeles County

 

 

EARLY CHILDHOOD TRACK

 

Winning Preschool Curriculum: The Role in Building a Healthy Childcare Environment

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Nutrition curricula play a strategic role in healthy childcare environments by ensuring consistent messaging to parents, children and staff. Shasta County Healthy Beginnings, Sacramento County Learning PACT and the New York State Child and Adult Care Food Program Eat Well, Play Hard in Child Care Settings will describe their preschool nutrition curricula for low-income families, evaluation results and their role in changing the environment and policies.

Karrie Isaacson, Public Health Nutritionist, Public Health Branch, Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency

Lynne M. Oudekerk, Registered Dietitian, Division of Nutrition, Child and Adult Care Food Program, New York Department of Health

Genevieve Pyeatt, Director, Child Development Incorporated

Moderator: Heather Reed, Registered Dietitian, Nutrition Services Division, California Department of Education

 

Interventions to Prevent Obesity through Promoting Nutrition and Physical Activity in Low-Income Childcare Centers

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Two approaches to using the childcare setting to prevent obesity during the early years will be discussed in this session. The session will describe a preschool-based intervention that targeted a multiethnic, low-income population in Miami, Florida. This project used nutrition and physical activity components and engaged parents, teachers and children. Participants will also learn about the Active Play curriculum that offers fun, developmentally appropriate, inclusive physical activities for 18-month to 5-year-old children in childcare settings and at home.

Diane Craft, Professor, Physical Education Department, State University of New York at Cortland

Sarah Messiah, Research Assistant Professor, Pediatrics Department, University of Miami

Moderator: Christina Cardenas, Advocate Coordinator, California Center for Public Health Advocacy

 

Secrets of Baby Behavior: Improving Compliance with Infant Feeding Guidelines at WIC

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Focus group data from UC Davis studies of California Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Program participants confirm that infant behaviors such as crying and waking are primary triggers for inappropriate infant feeding behaviors. Attempts to “keep the baby full” result in weaning from the breast, overfeeding, early or inappropriate solid food introduction and the use of sugary drinks. These behaviors can increase infants’ risk for subsequent childhood obesity. Therefore, education to promote positive mother-infant interactions may reduce these feeding behaviors and promote healthy feeding relationships for life. The “Fit WIC Baby Behavior Study,” has developed staff training and participant education materials to help WIC staff be better prepared to respond to mothers’ concerns and to promote positive interactions between caregivers and infants. In this presentation, materials, methods and outcomes of this study will be described.

M. Jane Heinig, Academic Administrator, Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis

Moderator: Brent Walker, Public Health Nutrition Specialist, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program, California Department of Public Health

 

 

SCHOOLS AND AFTER SCHOOL TRACK

 

Where’s the Money? The Financial Impact of Implementing School Nutrition Standards

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The rationale and content of new standards (adopted at the state level and proposed at the national level) and resources for competitive foods, school meals and after school snacks will be presented. Model guidelines for competitive foods will also be discussed. School districts worry that changing food service offerings will have a negative impact on the bottom line. This session will share both research findings and the local perspective on the implementation of nutrition standards and the financial impact of replacing less healthy foods with more nutritious ones.

Mary Kay Fox, Senior Researcher, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.

Geri Dee, Director of Food Services, Hacienda La Puente Unified School District

Dennis Barrett, Food Service Director, Los Angeles Unified School District

Gail Woodward-Lopez, Associate Director, Dr. Robert C. & Veronica Atkins Center for Weight and Health, University of California, Berkeley

Moderator: Brenda Padilla, Assistant Director, California Department of Education

 

Parents Leading the Charge as Advocates for Student Health and Achievement

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When parents and families are involved in their children’s schools, children of all income levels perform better academically and the quality of the school environment is enhanced. Parents, families and communities are demonstrating that they have the power to improve school nutrition and physical activity environments, reduce health disparities and combat childhood obesity. This workshop will highlight successes from across the country on how parents have taken leadership roles to address these concerns, especially in low-income communities.

Rob Bisceglie, Executive Director, Action for Healthy Kids

Guillermo Gomez, Director, Healthy Schools Campaign

Gaelen McAllister, Former Chapter Chair, Team Leader, Salem-Keizer Chapter, Stand for Children

Moderator: Grace Huppert, Public Health Nutrition Consultant, California Project Leaders Encouraging Activity and Nutrition

 

It Takes a Village—Lessons Learned From New Multi–Component School–Based Interventions

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Recent school and after school interventions in low-income communities have shown considerable promise in impacting children’s health. What strategies have these multi-component interventions involved? What components have been successful and can be replicated? What lessons learned can be used to share for future interventions. This session will provide information, tools, and resources school stakeholders can use to enhance their own school and after school environments.

Ginny Ehrlich, Schools Director, Alliance for a Healthier Generation

Gary Foster, Director, Center for Obesity Research and Education, Temple University

Suzanne Rauzon, Manager, Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Center for Weight and Health, University of California, Berkeley

Moderator: Martin Gonzalez, Assistant Executive Director, California School Boards Association

 

Beyond the Basics: Supporting Student Health and Knowledge from the Classroom to the Community

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The key to successful nutrition education programs is ensuring that they are comprehensive and integrated into existing activities and venues, rather than stand-alone, classroom-based activities. This session will provide ideas for integration into existing activities, identifying new partners and venues and developing sustainability. With a focus on low-income schools, presenters will provide resources and tools to build and improve new and existing programs.

Abby Jaramillo, Executive Director, Urban Sprouts

Valerie Parsons, Program Coordinator, Network for a Healthy California, Monrovia Unified School District

Jeff Seymour, Superintendent, El Monte City School District

Moderator: Susan Magrann, Regional Nutrition Education Coordinator, Network for a Healthy California, California Department of Public Health

 

Making a Difference: The Impact of Local School and After School Wellness Policies

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Congress now requires each local education agency that participates in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s school meals programs to establish a local wellness policy. Attend this session to learn about national and California research that is evaluating the impact of implementing and monitoring wellness policies on school and after school environments. Resources and best practices for implementation and evaluation of school wellness policies will be shared.

Mildred (Missy) Cody, Principal Investigator, Division of Nutrition, College of Health and Human Sciences, Georgia State University

Tracy Conkey, Territory Manager, Dairy Council of California

Gail Woodward-Lopez, Associate Director, Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Center for Weight and Health, University of California, Berkeley

Herbie Smith, Supervisor of Nutrition Education & Marketing, San Marcos Unified School District

Moderator: Jan Lewis, Nutrition Education Consultant, Nutrition Services Division, California Department of Education

 

 

COMMUNITY TRACK

 

Rebuilding American Communities to Improve Health

This session will include a variety of civic officials, developers and policy experts who have worked through a number of avenues to rebuild urban infrastructures to enable residents to live healthier lifestyles.

Norberto Duenas, Deputy City Manager, City of San Jose

Jeff Vincent, Deputy Director, Center for Cities and Schools, University of California, Berkeley

John Anderson, Architect and Consultant

Moderator: Jeffrey Rosenhall, Project Coordinator, California Center for Physical Activity, California Department of Public Health

 

Finding the Money to Get It Done

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An overview of state and local finance strategies, including public-private partnerships, will be discussed. Concrete examples will be provided of various strategies that have been successfully implemented in or on behalf of low-income, low-resource communities.

Fred Blackwell, Executive Director, San Francisco Redevelopment Agency

Dennis Herrera, Office of City Attorney, San Francisco

Moderator: Robert Ogilivie, Program Director, Planning for Healthy Places, Public Health Law and Policy

 

In Their Own Words: Youth Taking Action to Promote Healthy Living and a Connection to the Land

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This session features youth involved in a variety of programs. Student leaders from The Accelerated School in Los Angeles will address advocacy, recruitment, retention, and building a positive youth culture in a health and wellness youth team on campus. Youth involved in Urban Trailblazers, a five-week program that engages youth in a “youth-authored” curriculum, will share their experiences at incorporating fun, yet challenging physical activity. Additionally, high school youth who were recruited and teamed with volunteer adult mentors will share their work to map a portion of West La Mesa to measure community wellness indicators.

Erin Delaney, San Diego Childhood Obesity Initiative

Brittani Marie Dighero, The Childhood Obesity Brain Trust

Jie Chen, Crissy Field Center

Moderator: Sedrick Mitchell, Deputy Director, California State Parks

 

Sustainable Community and Food Systems

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This session features an overview on how different policies that promote healthy food retail can work together to create community change. Research in community-based food systems, food security, sustainable agriculture and nutrition education will be shared. Experiences and evaluation results working with corner store owners in low-income neighborhoods to increase their sales of fresh produce and other healthy food items will be shared.

Branden Born, Assistant Professor, Urban Design and Planning, University of Washington

Heather Wooten, Planning and Policy Associate, Public Health and Law Policy

James Johnson-Piett, Principal, Urbane Development, LLC

Moderator: Linda Jo Doctor, Program Director, W.K. Kellogg Foundation

 

Youth Speak!

Engaging youth is an essential piece in obesity prevention. Fifteen youth leaders from around the state are attending and participating in this year’s conference. Each has been actively involved in obesity-prevention work in their community and were selected to attend the conference because of their local efforts. They are here to expand their knowledge, collaborate with other youth and stakeholders, and return to their communities invigorated to continue their work. Join us for an interactive session with the youth in which we will learn about their local work, their perspective on the conference and their creative problem solving ideas.

Moderator: Lori Dorfman, Executive Director, Berkeley Media Studies Group

 

Reclaiming Streets, Open Areas and Parks for Safe Play and Physical Activity

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This session examines the issues of safety and physical activity in low-income neighborhoods from different perspectives. Research on youth, levels of physical activity and access to open areas will be reviewed. Community design to improve neighborhood safety, both crime prevention and improved pedestrian/bike safety, will be presented by a leading expert. Community groups engaged in policy strategies (e.g., joint use agreement) to find safe havens for play and innovative approaches to connect kids with open areas and their natural environments will be highlighted.

Robert Garcia, Executive Director, The City Project, Los Angeles

Caterina Roman, Assistant Professor, Department of Criminal Justice, Temple University

Jim Sallis, Professor, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University

Moderator: Larry Cohen, Executive Director, Prevention Institute

 

Making Fresh Produce More Affordable: The Healthy Purchase Pilot and Other Promising Strategies

This session highlights the two areas of focus of this pilot project: to improve availability of fresh fruits and vegetables for low-income communities through support for corner store conversions and to test whether rebates on Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards would serve as a financial incentive for food stamp participants to purchase fruits and vegetables.

George Manalo-LeClair, Senior Director of Legislation, California Food Policy Advocates

Tia Anzelotti, Executive Director, San Diego Hunger Coalition

Matthew Marsom, Director, Public Health Institute

Moderator: Susan Forester, Network for a Healthy California, California Department of Public Health

 

Cultivating Public–Private Partnerships to Enhance Community Health Improvement: Perspectives from Place-based, Policy-oriented Initiatives

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This session highlights accomplishments, challenges, lessons learned and best practices from three public-private partnerships dedicated to improving healthy eating and physical activity opportunities. Speakers will describe the formation of the partnership, how these partners shape objectives and investment in health projects, how the initiatives align with business models, and the impact partnerships are having on healthy eating and physical activity.

Dave Winfield, Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor, The San Diego Padres

Rajni Banthia, Program Associate, PolicyLink

Steven Eldred, Senior Program Officer, The California Endowment

Heng Lam Foong, South LA Healthy Eating Active Communities

Raul Morales, Owner, Mercado La Paloma Restaurant

Moderator: Neal Kohatsu, Chief, California Department of Public Health

 

 

MARKETING TRACK

 

The Future is Now: Digital Marketing of Food and Beverages to Children and Adolescents

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Marketing to children has moved beyond the TV and into cyberspace and there are currently few limits for food and beverage marketers in this arena. This session will discuss digital marketing, its impact and reach and what needs to be done to set limits on marketing to children.

Kathryn Montgomery, Professor, School of Communication, American University

Jason Tester, Research and Design Manager, Institute for the Future

Terrie Brennan, Senior Vice President, New Business Development and Strategy, The Nielsen Company

Moderator: Joanne Gooley, Physical Activity Specialist, California Project Leaders Encouraging Activity and Nutrition

 

Policy Actions and Strategies to Reduce Junk Food Marketing

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This session will describe how the food industry has co-opted the term “healthy” and applied it to various food products that are in fact, not healthy food choices. Speakers will describe the various methods and strategies used to market junk food to kids and will describe both top-down and bottom-up actions and strategies for limiting junk-food marketing to kids. Local, state and national policy options will be described.

Lori Dorfman, Director, Berkeley Media Studies Group

Manel Kappagoda, Deputy Director, National Policy and Legal Analysis, Public Health Law and Policy

Leslie Mikkelsen, Managing Director, Prevention Institute

Moderator: Lisa Craypo, Senior Associate, Samuels and Associates

 

Marketing to Children, Youth and Adults Through the Institutions They Trust

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Explore how the marketing of poor nutrition choices has infiltrated the institutions whose missions include protecting children from harm and promoting health. Schools, hospitals and other health care facilities have been complicit in the marketing of poor nutrition choices. The result is that mothers choose infant formula over breastfeeding, and schools and health care allow marketers to reach mothers, families and youth through their facilities. This session will highlight the problems associated with this type of marketing and what should be done to address it.

Victoria Berends, Marketing Director, California Project Leaders Encouraging Activity and Nutrition

Deborah Kaplan, Assistant Commissioner, Bureau of Maternal, Infant and Reproductive Health, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Patti Rundall, Policy Director, Baby Milk Action

Moderator: Laurie True, Executive Director, California WIC Association