Four of the world's biggest killer diseases aren't spread from person-to-person, says Kimberly Reed, the executive director of the International Food Information Council (IFIC). Heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and lung problems are all noncommunicable diseases, and Reed has brought together top experts in the Global Diet and Physical Activity Communications Summit, "Insights to Motivate Healthful, Active Lifestyles," to figure out the best ways to educate consumers on how to lower their odds of developing the deadly diseases.
"The summit's theme is to gain insights to help motivate healthful, active lifestyles," said Reed.
IFIC thinks the biggest challenges the United States — as well as the rest of the world —faces in health are diet and exercise. Getting the proper amount of calories and exercise, they believe, are the keys to solving the world's health crisis.
The summit will tackle the best ways to communicate the importance of calorie balance (not consuming too many or too few and eating the right kinds) coupled with exercise to ensure healthy lives — "the key things consumers all around the world should be educated about and practicing so we can all live happy, wonderful lives," Reed said.
"We need to learn how to better communicate with parents and role models about how to eat in a healthful way," Reed said. "The main thing we want to emphasize today is 'calories in, calories out,'" she said, to maintain a healthy weight.
"The main noncommunicable diseases — heart, cancer, lung, and diabetes — are caused by food, lack of physical activity, and tobacco and alcohol abuse," Reed said. "The world is gathering to talk about these issues and effective ways of communicating to consumers that can help them take positive action to ensure they minimize the risk of these diseases."
For ideas on how to improve your family's diet, visit the IFIC foundation's website www.foodinsight.org.
On the website, Reed says, "There are great lesson plans and fun recipes as well as tips for parents."
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