At USDA, we’re into healthy lifestyles, proper eating, and physical activity. We promote that among our employees, and we promote that to our customers: the general public. We recently had yet another opportunity to advance that message by participating in President George W. Bush’s “HealthierUS Initiative.”

According to Beth Johnson, USDA senior advisor on food and nutrition issues, the Department’s nutrition, health, and outdoor recreation programs were highlighted on June 20 at a kickoff for the HealthierUS Initiative, which included a “Fitness Expo,” held on the grounds of the White House. Then two days later on June 22 Secretary Ann M. Veneman participated in a “Fitness Challenge” which included a 1.5 mile walk at Fort McNair, on the banks of the Potomac River in Washington, DC.

“Visitors keep coming by to take advantage of our ARS 'body fat analysis’,” affirms ARS Associate Deputy Administrator Judy St. John (2nd from right). She and Dawn Riley (right), director of legislative and intergovernmental affairs for the research, education, and economics mission area, confer in front of the REE booth which focuses on USDA’s nutrition research programs--while ARS Acting Associate Administrator Caird Rexroad (reaching, right) smooths out the booth’s banner. In the meantime, an apple- munching youngster (foreground) stops by to check out the exhibit’s offerings. This was one of a number of USDA exhibits and booths which were part of the Department’s recent participation in President George W. Bush’s “HealthierUS Initiative.” --Photo by Demetria Fletcher

Johnson explained that the HealthierUS Initiative uses the resources of the federal government--including those at USDA--to alert Americans to the vital health benefits that can come from simple and modest improvements in nutrition, physical activity, and behavior. “Research has shown that improving overall health-- and thereby preventing disease and premature death--is as easy as making small adjustments and improvements in the activities of one’s daily life,” she noted.

USDA employees exhibited information on physical fitness, nutrition, health-based preventive screenings, and making healthy choices at both events. For instance, Carole Davis, director of the Nutrition Promotion Staff in the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, said staff from CNPP and the Food and Nutrition Service offered materials on a healthy diet.

“We had displays of our Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the Food Guide Pyramid, the Healthy Eating Index, nutrition education programs, and portion control information,” said CNPP nutritionist David Herring.

CNPP nutritionist Shirley Gerrior added that they also provided visitors to their booth with information about its on-line tool-- the Interactive Healthy Eating Index--designed to assess the quality of their diet. “In 2001 over 200,000 Americans evaluated their diets on-line,” said CNPP nutritionist Wen Yen Juan.

Lori French, chief of the Nutrition Promotion and Training Branch in FNS, said that at yet another booth she and her FNS colleagues were promoting “Team Nutrition.” “That’s a USDA nutrition initiative designed to encourage school-age children to eat healthy and be physically active,” she explained. Vicky Urcuyo, head of the Team Nutrition Section in that Branch, noted that USDA’s “Team Nutrition” initiative began in 1995, “and we’re encouraged about the visibility that this particular forum provided us to advance our message.”

Judy Wilson, director of FNS’s Nutrition Services Staff, said that USDA also featured information on its “Eat Smart, Play Hard” national healthy eating and physical activity campaign. FNS supervisory nutritionist Marion Hinners noted that the spokescharacter for that campaign is USDA’s “Power Panther”--who attended both events. “Power Panther, a blue panther who wears a T-shirt displaying the Food Guide Pyramid, delivers nutrition and physical activity messages, especially to children, in a fun and non-threatening way,” added FNS senior nutritionist Jane Mandell.

Susan Welsh, CSREES’s national program leader for nutrition education research, said that staffers from the Agricultural

Research Service, CSREES, and the Economic Research Service put together nutrition research information that, in turn, was provided to the White House for the President’s Policy Book on this initiative. “At our Research, Education, and Economics mission area booth,” recounted ARS Associate Deputy Administrator Judy St. John, “we offered information on USDA’s nutrition research programs.”

ARS research scientist Kay Behall added that she was one of the staffers who used an instrument that relies on near-infrared light to measure body fat content on those persons visiting that booth who wished to have it done. “We then gave each participant a computer printout which reflected that individual’s body fat measure and the resulting calculations of his/her lean body mass and body mass index,” said ARS support scientist Dan Scholfield.

Forest Service resource analyst Jamie Schwartz staffed his agency’s booth. To encourage outdoor recreation on FS- administered lands, the exhibit included creative exhortations such as “Hike US,” “Bike US,” “Ski US,” “Camp US,” “Fish US,” “Float US,” “Tour US,” and otherwise “Discover US.” FS staffers exhibited information on various physical fitness activities that individuals can participate in when visiting any of the nation’s 155 national forests or 22 national grasslands around the country.

“We manage more than 133,000 miles of trails and 23,000 developed recreational sites,” Schwartz pointed out. “They provide visitors with opportunities to walk, hike, hold gatherings for families and friends, view wildlife, and visit heritage sites and nature centers.”

FS program manager for interpretive services Kristen Nelson noted that on June 19 FS and CNPP entered into a multi-agency partnership, with such federal agencies as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Army Corps of Engineers, to promote public health and recreation, which includes enhancing access to and availability of trails and recreational facilities on public lands.

“As part of that Memo of Understanding, we’re also promoting such activities as National Trails Day and National Fishing and Boating Week--generally held on public lands,” she said. “Those events encourage people to be active outdoors, while they can also participate in public services like tree plantings and maintaining trails.”

“From our nutrition programs to encouraging fitness on national forest trails,” said Secretary Ann M. Veneman, “USDA is helping achieve a healthier America through innovative programs and partnerships.” •