News Release

Acting U.S. Surgeon General Visit to Miami, Second Stop on the "Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future" Nationwide Tour

Acting U.S. Surgeon General Rear Adm. Steven K.Galson, M.D., M.P.H., will make a second stop on his nationwide tour to promote the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Childhood Overweight and Obesity Prevention Initiative, which targets overweight and obesity prevention and the promotion of healthy lifestyles for children, on March 18-19, 2008 in Miami, Fla.

The "Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future" initiative focuses on recognizing and showcasing those communities throughout the nation that are addressing childhood overweight and obesity prevention by helping kids stay active, encouraging healthy eating habits, and promoting healthy choices.

"I am honored to have the opportunity to visit communities across the country, like Miami and Miami Beach, and meet first-hand with those actively engaged in finding ways to prevent childhood overweight and obesity," said Dr. Galson.

Throughout the trip he will meet with key community stakeholders including representatives from business, industry, academia and other local leaders to discuss childhood obesity prevention and learn about existing prevention programs. In addition, Dr. Galson will deliver the keynote speech, on March 19, at the Childhood Obesity Action Network's 2nd Annual conference on Childhood Obesity. This organization is dedicated solely to improving the quality of health care provided to children and one of their top efforts is the prevention of childhood obesity.

Later that day, Dr. Galson will meet with school officials and students from Nautilus Middle School located in Miami Beach; a school which has raised the bar as it relates to increased physical activity and the prevention and reduction of childhood overweight and obesity. He will receive a demonstration of the school's Wellness Center which was designed to tie together the concepts of physical and nutritional fitness. After this demonstration, the Acting Surgeon General will have an informal conversation with a small group of students to discuss their views on nutrition and physical activity and the challenges they encounter when trying to live a healthy lifestyle.

According to 2005 data from the Florida Department of Health, 14.4 percent of high school students were at risk for overweight and an additional 10.9 percent are overweight. Also in 2005, 31.3 percent of middle school students did not go to physical education classes at all during an average school week.

Additional information on the Surgeon General's Initiative can be found at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/obesityprevention.html

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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.

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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.

Last revised: September 04, 2008