NICHD Director Dr. Duane Alexander presents the Milk Matters campaign at the Healthy Schools Summit

More than 500 grassroots leaders from across the country will meet at the Healthy Schools Summit 2005, September 27-28 in Washington, DC, to discuss how government, businesses, and non-profit groups can make health-improving changes in the school environment.

Sponsored by Action for Healthy Kids, the Summit features Mrs. Laura Bush as Honorary Chairperson, former U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, and current U.S. Surgeon General Robert Carmona among the national dignitaries and leaders who will speak.

NICHD Director Dr. Duane Alexander will present a talk on how research-based programs are working on a national level and within communities to improve children's health.

Milk Matters Materials Available through WE CAN! Collaboration

Milk Matters publications and materials are a part of WE CAN! (Ways to Enhance Children's Activity and Nutrition), a national program designed as a one-stop resource for parents and caregivers interested in practical tools to help children 8-to-13-years-old stay at a healthy weight. Tips and fun activities focus on three critical behaviors: improved food choices, increased physical activity, and reduced screen time.

The program is a collaboration of four Institutes of the NIH, including the NICHD, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), and the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

For more information on WE CAN!, go to http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/.