Taking On Common Health Issues In The Hispanic Community.

The National Urban League and the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) have joined America On the Move Foundation (AOM) and PepsiCo in an initiative to address common health concerns that affect African Americans and Latinos. Urban League, NCLR, AOM Foundation and PepsiCo kicked-off this unique partnership during the Urban League’s national conference in Washington, DC. Studies show that African Americans and Latinos are at greater risk for diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, conditions which can be controlled or prevented through a healthy lifestyle.

This initiative between PepsiCo, AOM, NCLR and Urban League will tailor AOM’s approach to help people initiate and maintain meaningful and measurable behavior changes that support healthy eating and active living habits for African Americans and Latinos. AOM engages people in simple ways to become more active and to eat healthier. Working through grassroots networks, both NCLR and Urban League will offer culturally relevant activities designed to mobilize individuals and communities to take on these healthier lifestyle habits. Both groups will offer AOM’s free online tools and resources.

“It’s necessary for an entire society – individuals, families, organizations, and corporations — to join together in order to effectively address the health problems facing our communities,” said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO, the National Urban League. “Through this historic partnership we hope to pave the way for long-term health for our communities throughout this country.”

The Urban League program, Healthy Steps, will use AOM’s program content and will engage whole communities through intergenerational activities, sporting events, community walks, health alerts, and AOM’s interactive Web site customized for Urban League. Working with their affiliates in four pilot cities — Providence, Rhode Island; Columbus, Ohio; Washington, DC and Houston, Texas – Urban League will enroll individuals through culturally relevant community outreach efforts to schools, community based organizations, youth groups, churches, National Urban League Young Professionals and NUL Guild members. In addition, participants can register on-line through the Urban League’s Digital Campuses. Healthy Steps is available nationally on-line at: http://www.nul.org/healthsteps.html.

At the NCLR annual conference last week in Philadelphia, NCLR and AOM kicked off their program with the launch of the Spanish-language version of the America On the Move Web site (http://www.americaonthemove.org) and other language-appropriate materials to provide healthy lifestyle information to Spanish-speaking Latinos. NCLR will also develop a bilingual toolkit on the importance of sound nutrition and active living habits for use by its Promotores de Salud, lay health educators who provide information and counseling on key health issues to Latino communities throughout the country. Programs like Promotores de Salud have been shown to be one of the most effective ways of educating individuals and families about preventing and controlling diseases, accessing health services and promoting healthier lifestyles.

“Our goal is to increase awareness by providing culturally appropriate bilingual information on the simple steps Latinos can take to lead healthier lives,” said Janet Murguia, NCLR President and CEO. “We’re excited to join with these leading organizations in the name of health and wellness so that together we can equip individuals with the tools to make healthier lifestyle choices.”

“Our message is simple—find simple ways to move more and eat wisely each day and you will be on the way to a healthier way of life,” said James O. Hill, Ph.D., founder of America On the Move Foundation. “When people adopt and put into practice the concept of energy balance – balancing the amount of calories burned and the number of calories consumed – they have a significant impact on their health and quality of life.”

PepsiCo is the national presenting sponsor of America on the Move. PepsiCo’s support of AOM, NCLR, and Urban League is part of its ongoing commitment to health and wellness.

In 2004, PepsiCo launched the Smart Spot(TM) symbol, the first-of-its-kind designation that makes it easier for consumers to identify PepsiCo products that contribute to healthier lifestyles. Products that contain the Smart Spot symbol meet established nutrition criteria based on authoritative statements from the Food and Drug Administration and the National Academy of Sciences.

“PepsiCo recognizes the important role that we can play in helping people lead healthier lives through our support of programs such as these and by offering product choices that contribute to healthier lifestyles,” said Etienne Houseknecht, Marketing Manager, Pepsi-Cola North America. “The impact this partnership can have is significant because it will directly serve this nation’s growing diverse communities in ways that resonate.”