NIH Launches Program Encouraging Black Women to Improve Their Health
October 20, 2001 Washington, D.C. (October 20, 2001) - The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) today announced the launch of Sisters Together: Move More, Eat Better, a program that encourages Black women to maintain a healthy weight by becoming more physically active and eating healthier foods.
The highlight of the launch was a "fun" walk and health fair on Saturday, October 20, 2001 at 9:00 a.m. at the Franklin D. Reeves Center in Washington, D.C. The health fair featured a healthy cooking demonstration, music, giveaways, and face painting and balloons for kids.
The NIDDK initiated the program in the nation’s capital to call attention to the health risks caused by the high rates of overweight and obesity among African-American women. Recent statistics indicate that over 50 percent of all Black women are overweight or obese, and the numbers are steadily rising. High-fat diets, super-sized portions and lack of physical activity are resulting in extremely high rates of type 2 diabetes in Black women. Type 2 diabetes increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
According to HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, " So many of our health problems, especially type 2 diabetes, can be avoided through diet, physical activity and making sure we take care of ourselves with a few small steps." The centerpiece of Sisters Together is a series of free publications designed to encourage Black women of all ages to improve their health:
- Celebrate the Beauty of Youth
- Energize Yourself and Your Family
- Fit and Fabulous as You Mature
- Walking...A Step in the Right Direction
Each of the publications offers age-appropriate tips for incorporating physical activity and healthy eating into daily living. Free copies of the Sisters Together publications are available by calling 1-877-WIN-4627 or by visiting www.niddk.nih.gov/health/nutrit/nutrit.htm, the WIN website.
"We understand how difficult it is to modify lifelong habits," said Dr. Griffin Rodgers, Deputy Director, NIDDK and Grand Marshal for the Sisters Together launch. "This is precisely why we are not suggesting that African-American women make dramatic changes overnight. What’s important is to take incremental steps toward becoming healthier. Big changes often start with a few small steps."
Sisters Together is a program of the Weight-control Information Network (WIN), a national service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). WIN was established in 1994 to raise awareness about weight control, obesity, physical activity, and nutrition. Working in conjunction with NIDDK’s National Task Force on the Prevention and Treatment of Obesity, WIN offers consumer brochures, fact sheets, and other materials on these topics to the public and health professionals.
Contact:
Leslie Curtis
301-496-3583
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Page last updated: April 17, 2008
