Understanding how local communities can promote food and nutrition is the focus of Bowie State University’s Second Annual Food Day Symposium, which will engage area residents and students in discussions about healthy eating and behaviors Wednesday, Oct. 24 from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the Wiseman Student Center, Room 102. A live healthy cooking demonstration by chefs from Bowie State Dining Services will be a featured session.
Keynote speaker, David Harrington, a former Maryland state senator, will discuss how the Prince George’s County Port Towns – Bladensburg, Edmonston, Cottage City, and Colmar Manor – are working together to create an action plan for a healthy environment. A longtime advocate for healthy communities and the environment, Harrington was instrumental in introducing the Port Towns’ Wellness Opportunity Zone designation, which encourages communities to make health a priority in policy-setting and planning decisions.
The free event, sponsored by Bowie State and the USDA Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, is one of hundreds of celebrations organized across the country to raise awareness about how food impacts health and to advocate for sustainable and affordable food sources. Bowie State’s event brings together Prince George’s County experts in government, the school system, and nonprofits to discuss how to access reliable health and food resources online, the impact of obesity on the county, improving health and nutrition through community farms, and combating childhood obesity, among other areas.
Five teams of Bowie State undergraduate students will also compete in a research poster contest focused on health and nutrition. Their topics range from making healthier choices at fast food restaurants to an assessment of how well Prince George’s County colleges encourage healthy eating and behaviors to the role of diet in preventing colon cancer.
Participants will have opportunities to voice their opinions on ways to promote healthy eating and behavior in the county during breakout sessions.
The public can register online at:
http://www.bowiestate.edu/academics/depart...
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Friday, October 19th 2012 at 3:35PM
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