Your Weight Matters Healthy Living EXPO scheduled for Sept. 27
Orlando, Fla. – Aug. 17, 2014. The YMCA of Central Florida and the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) are proud to announce an important new partnership aimed at educating people about obesity, health and wellness, and much more.
As two leading nonprofits dedicated to advocacy and prevention, the partnership allows the YMCA and OAC to leverage shared resources in helping Americans understand how weight impacts their overall health and what steps they can take to improve it.
More than 93 million Americans, including 25 percent of Floridians, are impacted by obesity. The disease carries with it more than 40 obesity-related conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, some cancers, arthritis and more. In addition, those affected by obesity are targeted daily with weight bias and stigma.
Through the YMCA’s focus on Healthy Living, it is joining with leading partners, such as the OAC, to develop personalized, prevention-based solutions for combatting the crisis of obesity and chronic disease. The Y’s Healthy Living programs include the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program, LIVESTRONG, COACH APPROACH® and more.
As the leading obesity-focused patient advocacy group, the OAC’s mission is to elevate and empower individuals affected by obesity through education, advocacy and support. It’s Your Weight Matters Brand, includes the Your Weight Matters Campaign, the Your Weight Matters Annual National Convention and Your Weight Matters Magazine.
The partnership’s first joint effort will be the Your Weight MattersSM Healthy Living EXPO, scheduled for Saturday, September 27, from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld. The event will be held in conjunction with the OAC’s 3rd Annual Your Weight Matters National Convention.
Free and open to the public the EXPO will offer health screenings, interactive educational programs, opportunities to hear from leading healthcare experts, and more than 35 vendors featuring the latest in health and wellness products and services.
“Fully half of all Americans, including people we know and love, suffer from at least one chronic disease, many of which are related to obesity,” said John Cardone, YMCA Senior Vice President of Health Strategies and Business Development. “Oftentimes, people want to improve their health, but
they don’t know where to begin. The Y’s new partnership with the OAC will help change that. Together, through prevention-based programs, personalized support and great events like the Your Weight Matters Healthy Living EXPO, we can begin to turn in the tide on obesity in Central Florida and beyond.”
“The OAC is proud to partner with the YMCA of Central Florida,” said Joe Nadglowski, OAC President and CEO. “As the leading patient-advocacy organization for individuals affected by obesity, the OAC is constantly looking for new ways to educate the public about obesity and offer it unbiased evidence-based information on weight and health. Hosting the Your Weight Matters Healthy Living EXPO in partnership with the Y is a great way to launch our new partnership and maximize community impact.”
To learn more about the YMCA of Central Florida, visit ymcacentralflorda.com.
To learn more about the YWM Healthy Living EXPO, presented by the Obesity Action Coalition and the YMCA of Central Florida, or register for your FREE EXPO pass, please visit http://www.ywmconvention.com/ywm-healthy-living-expo/. For more information on the OAC’s 3rd Annual Your Weight MattersSM National Convention, please visit www.YWMConvention.com.
About the YMCA of Central Florida
The YMCA of Central Florida is one of the area’s largest nonprofits committed to strengthening communities across Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard and Marion counties and the local communities it serves. It is a diverse organization of men, women and children joined by a shared commitment to Youth Development, Healthy Living and Social Responsibility. Each day 35,000 Central Florida residents are impacted by the Y when a mentor inspires a child, individuals make healthy choices and a community comes together for common good. In 2013, this YMCA Association of over 1,800 employees across 6 Florida counties impacted over 235,000 residents and invested, during a challenging economy, $10.2 million in its local communities. The YMCA of Central Florida also provided $9.2 million in financial assistance to children and families, which supported lasting personal and social change.
About the OAC
The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), a nearly 50,000 member-strong national non-profit organization, is dedicated to improving the lives of individuals affected by the disease of obesity through education, advocacy and support. To learn more about the OAC, please visit www.ObesityAction.org.