ADVANCE FOR RELEASE October 19, 1998
Media Contact: Tom Ryan ([email protected]), Doris Acosta or M. Johnna Thomas
800/877-1600, ext. 4894, 4822 or 4769
October 19-22, 1998
Kansas City Convention Center, Kansas City, Mo.
Press Room, Room 2210A
816-871-3442
(Please do not publish these numbers.)
FOR THE LATEST FOOD AND NUTRITION NEWS, EVERYBODY'S GOING TO KANSAS CITY
Heard any news lately about obesity? Dietary supplements? The safety of the nation's food supply? Alternative medicines and botanical products? Functional foods?
Who hasn't! Chances are, a story about one of those topics, or another nutrition-related subject, appeared on the front page of this morning's newspaper, or on last night's TV news or on the cover of this month's consumer magazines. Developments in food and nutrition affecting everyone's lives occur daily -- from advances in scientific and medical research to new consumer products. And many of the people responsible for making that news will be in Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 19-22, for The American Dietetic Association's 81st Annual Meeting and Exhibition. ADA's Annual Meeting is widely recognized as an important one-stop source of authoritative and up-to-date nutrition and health information and expertise. More than 10,000 of the nation's leading researchers, dietitians and government and industry leaders will attend the Annual Meeting, to be held at the Kansas City Convention Center. They will participate in hundreds of scientific research presentations, lectures, panel discussions, culinary demonstrations and professional workshops.
In addition, more than 200 exhibitors -- from corporations to government and nonprofit agencies -- will showcase new consumer products, plus food, nutrition and educational materials. The theme of the 1998 Annual Meeting is "Creating the Future: Partnering with the Public." The theme "acknowledges ADA's continuing commitment to influencing consumers with positive nutrition messages," says ADA president Ann Coulston. "The American Dietetic Association and its members are the public's best source of nutrition information. The future of our profession is inextricably tied to meeting the widely diverse nutrition and health information needs of all Americans."
With nearly 70,000 members, the Chicago-based American Dietetic Association is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA serves the public by promoting nutrition, health and well-being. Speakers at ADA's Annual Meeting will focus on some of the most critical nutrition-related issues facing the country (more information, including session dates and times, is available in accompanying press releases and in the Annual Meeting program): ß The national epidemic of obesity -- especially among children and the elderly -- and possible treatments ß Trends and issues in organically grown foods, botanical products and alternative medicines ß Nutrition science versus "pseudoscience" or science fiction ß Taking cultural and ethnic diversity into account in shaping effective nutrition and health-promotion messages ß Improving and maintaining the health and nutrition of the nation's children ß Nutritional aspects of women's health ß Implications of the Human Genome Project -- and genetics in general -- for consumers and nutrition professionals
A two-part session on the latest developments in combatting obesity will feature some of the nation's top obesity researchers including Dr. F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer, who chaired the panel of experts that formulated the first-ever federal obesity guidelines that were released last June. The guidelines showed that half of all American adults are overweight and a third are obese. Speaking at a session titled Feeding America's Children will be Shirley Watkins, Undersecretary of Agriculture for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Sciences. She oversees the government's food stamp, school meals and Women and Infant Children programs.
Scientific researchers whose work is sponsored by two of ADA's public-education campaigns will present results of their studies -- the Child Nutrition and Health Campaign on Monday, October 19, and the Nutrition and Health Campaign for Women on Wednesday, October 21.
On Sunday, October 18, the day before the Annual Meeting officially opens, ADA and Barnes & Noble will host the first Nutrition Now Book Fair. The fair, which will be open to the public, will be held at the Westin Crown Center, 1 Pershing Rd., Kansas City, and will highlight the best in health and nutrition reading. Thirty of the nation's hottest nutrition and fitness authors will be there to autograph their books and give practical advice.
Those attending the Annual Meeting and Exhibition can get a preview of "Dieting for Dummies" (IDG Books, $19.99), by The American Dietetic Association, with registered dietitian Jane Kirby. The latest in the popular "Ö for Dummies" reference series, "Dieting for Dummies" gives the complete lowdown on fads, pills, commercial weight-loss plans, establishing a satisfying body image, managing stress without resorting to eating, tips on smart grocery shopping, advice on eating out and more.
A number of culinary demonstrations are scheduled for the Annual Meeting, with scientists and chefs coming together for lively and colorful collaborations of taste and nutrition.
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