Alameda County Community Food Bank

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Contact: Suzan Bateson
(510) 636-4902

Alameda County Community Food Bank Hosts 3rd Annual Nutrition Conference
Focus on Preventing Heart Disease and Obesity in Low-Income Communities

Oakland, Calif. (6/14/05) –The Alameda County Community Food Bank's 3rd Annual Nutrition Conference will feature a variety of health professionals discussing "Healthy Choices for Healthy Living" on Thursday, July 20 from 9 am to 3 pm at the Jack London Aquatic Center at 115 Embarcadero in Oakland.

"In Alameda County, 69% of residents are obese, according to the Alameda County Public Health Department, so our goal is to provide our network of 300 community based organizations with the latest in nutritional information, so they in turn can work with the clients they serve and together we can all strive towards achieving better health," states Suzan Bateson, Alameda County Community Food Bank executive director. "We can do this by focusing on improving our diet and engaging in regular physical activity."

Guest speakers include Registered Dietitian Darlene Fujii, who will discuss "Nutrition's Role in Preventing Obesity," and Dr. Lynne Sullivan, who will talk about “Preventing Diet Related Disease. The keynote address will be given by Dr. Erica Goode on "Nutrition's Role in Wellness." Dr. Geoffrey Watson will give “Eight Healthy Guidelines” and Registered Dietitian Teresa Harnden Lambert will talk about "Preventing Heart Disease."

Numerous physical activity breaks will take place throughout the event to underscore the importance of physical exercise. Before the nutritious lunch is served, conference participants will be encouraged to take a guided walk led by peer walk club leader Karen Smulevitz.

The event is receiving support from local food manufacturer Clif Bar & Co. Several Clif Bar employees are volunteering their time at this conference. Additionally, Clif Bar donated samples of their product for conference participants to enjoy.

Agency members were invited to enter a "menu contest" in which they submitted their healthy menu items for judging. Winners will be announced at the conference and awarded prizes. A raffle will also be held.

Darlene Fujii, RD, MEd is the Senior Program Specialist of the Alameda County Public Health Department/Nutrition Services Program. Darlene is a Registered Dietitian, holds a Master’s degree in education from Tufts University, and has been a trustee on the board of a K-8 independent school in Oakland, CA, for over 10 years.

Lynne Sullivan, DC is a Doctor of Chiropractic and the Best Selling Author of The World's Best Kept Health Secret Revealed. She has developed a dynamic and inspirational program for optimal health and wellness and conducts workshops and presentations on The World's Best Kept Health Secret Revealed to help people of all ages to be youthful and energetic. Dr. Sullivan has also been a college instructor, author of many published articles and featured media guest.

Erica Goode, MD, MPH is board-certified in internal medicine. She practices general medicine with an emphasis on nutrition at the Health & Healing Clinic. Dr. Goode holds a medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco, where she currently maintains an Associate Clinical Professorship and earned her Master’s in Public Health Nutrition from UC Berkeley. Before getting her medical degree, she worked as a public health nutritionist for years and wrote a weekly nutrition column for the Washington Post.

Teresa Harnden-Lambert, MS, RD is a Registered Dietitian and is the Nutrition Education Coordinator at the Alameda County Community Food Bank. Teresa holds a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master's degree in Nutritional Sciences from San Jose State University.

H. Geoffrey Watson, MD is the Chief of Staff and Internist at The James A. Watson Wellness Center in Oakland. He is in private practice in internal medicine at Arlington Medical Group in Oakland, the CEO of Preventive Care Network in Oakland, the Medical Director of Excell Care Skilled Nursing Facility in Oakland, the Director of the Skilled Nursing Facility at Alta Bates Medical Center in Berkeley, the Physicians Director of Continuing Medical Education and staff physician at the Fairmont Hospital in San Leandro, a staff physician at the Adult Sickle Cell Clinic-Alta Bates medical Center in Berkeley and the executive producer/director/host of The Health Beat Show. Dr. Watson earned his Bachelor's degree in Health Care Administration from the University of California, Davis and his Medical Degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville Tennessee.