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American Public Health Association
Working for a Healthier World
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July 28, 2005
Dr. Duane Alexander, Director
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
National Institutes of Health
Building 31
Center Drive MSC 2425
Bethesda, MD 20892-2425
Dear Dr. Alexander:
We, the American Public Health Association, are writing to express our strong support for the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) with its plans to commence the long-term study of American children through the National Children’s Study (NCS).
The American Public Health Association has a continuing interest in the well-being and overall health of children. For more than 130 years the American Public Health Association has both supported and led efforts such as the National Children’s Study to improve the public's health through advocating for resources to promote a healthy society. In this era of unprecedented public health challenges, APHA is working to ensure the needs of public health are met. Throughout its history it has been in the forefront of numerous efforts to prevent disease and promote health. APHA influences policies and sets priorities on a broad set of issues, including access to care, environmental health, managed care, public health infrastructure, disease control, health disparities, bio-terrorism, international health, tobacco control and children's health.
It is the belief of APHA that the issues that are to be addressed by this study are not only important but also necessary in order to continue to work towards a healthier world. Through its policies, APHA has made strong and consistent efforts to promote children’s health and development. One of these policies promotes a reduction in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) by educating child-care specialists and urging health professionals to inform the community about actions to reduce the risks of SIDS. Also, APHA is determined to improve child health by implementing USDA Child Nutrition Programs in schools. Its policy concerning nutrition for school-aged children encourages nutrition education and accessibility and availability of nutrient-rich and healthy foods in schools. APHA recognizes that improper nutrition and inactivity affect child health and development and can lead to overweight in childhood. APHA has taken a fervent stance on reducing the rising rates of asthma in children by endorsing national and global efforts to strengthen surveillance of asthma and supporting a more comprehensive plan of action on asthma prevention and treatment. Thus, it is through these efforts and many more that APHA strives to better child health and make the world healthier, and the National Children’s Study will be a vehicle to drive further endeavors by APHA to improve child health.
It is because the American Public Health Association’s actions and beliefs parallel the mantra, growing up healthy is every child’s right and every parents dream for their children that we applaud and give our full support to NICHD and its Federal partners in all of their endeavors as it relates with their plans to initiate the National Children’s Study.
Sincerely,
Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP
Executive Director