Obesity conference to offer expert prevention advice

The strategies and benefits for obesity prevention will be showcased at the second annual Obesity Conference hosted by NAU.

"Obesity is becoming such a problem that a child's lifespan is now predicted to be shorter than their parents," said Marsha Kolich, director for Center for Obesity Prevention. "The conference will focus on the most recent strategies that have been successful in reducing some of the life-threatening effects of obesity."

Interested individuals, health and medical professionals and educators from around the state are expected to attend the conference. Attendees will be offered blood screening, body mass index measuring and continuing education units.

The city of Flagstaff is also climbing aboard the obesity prevention bandwagon. Mayor Joe Donaldson, who will open the conference, has proclaimed April 8-14 as Obesity Prevention Week.

The conference, which includes lunch, is 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., April 12 at the Flagstaff Radisson Woodlands Hotel and costs $45. To register, call (602) 569-2888.

Kolich said the conference is a call to action to prevent and decrease obesity in Arizona. It will feature numerous speakers, including NAU graduate students Margaret Read and Todd Sewell, who will report on the work of Leslie Lutes, an assistant professor in NAU's Department of Psychology researching new techniques for weight control.

"We are learning how technology can be used to assist people in their fight against obesity," said Lutes. "There are numerous ways technology can be a big help in providing cost-effective ways to help people in rural areas prevent obesity."