Pensacola, Fla. –The Florida Department of Health has, for the third consecutive year, recognized the City of Pensacola as a Healthy Weight Community Champion. Dr. John Lanza, Director of the Florida Department of Health in Escambia County (FDOH-Escambia) will make a formal presentation of the Healthy Weight Community Champion recognition at this Saturday’s Ciclovia event in Downtown Pensacola.

                                    Saturday, March 25, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. CT

                                    Vince J. Whibbs, Jr. Community Maritime Park

                                    301 West Main Street, Pensacola

Media and members of the public are encouraged to attend the presentation and then to remain downtown to participate in Ciclovia Pensacola.

In selecting Healthy Weight Community Champions, the State Surgeon General’s office evaluates policies adopted by local governments that have been shown to increase physical activity and improve nutrition. These “best practice” policies are reflected in the Healthy Weight Community Champion submission criteria. By implementing best practices within their jurisdictions, local governments can create environments where the healthy choice is the easy choice.

“We are excited to present this honor to Pensacola for the third year in a row,” says FDOH-Escambia’s Director, John J. Lanza, MD, PhD, MPH, FAAP. “The City’s support for events that support active living has caused Pensacola to, once again, gain the attention of the Surgeon General’s office during the Healthy Weight Community Champion evaluation process. Events such as Ciclovia increase opportunities for physical activity, which is the State Surgeon General’s first strategy to address healthy weight in Florida.”

Ciclovia is supported by 5-2-1-0 Let’s Go Escambia!, the local extension of Florida’s Healthiest Weight initiative which was first implemented by the Florida Department of Health in 2013. The initiative works closely with partners to leverage existing resources to maximize reach and impact. These partners include the business community, hospitals, non-governmental organizations, non-profit agencies, other federal, state, or local government agencies, and volunteer coalitions. The overall goal is to bend the weight curve by 5% by making healthy choices easy choices for all people.

5-2-1-0 Let’s Go Northwest Florida! was adopted from 5-2-1-0 Let’s Go! in Maine. The program encourages families and individuals to adopt four daily habits that have been shown to impact an individual’s weight: Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, limit screen time to 2 hours or less, get at least 1 hour of physical activity every day, and consume 0 sugary drinks.

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About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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