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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Santa Fe– August 15, 2007 – Santa Fe County Commissioner Harry Montoya participated in a community dialogue on Youth Obesity on August 14^th. TheNational Association of Counties’ (NACo) Center for Sustainable Communities hosted the event with a select group of faith based organizations, community organizations and community leaders. The dialogue is in follow up to a similar meeting on youth obesity held last year with school and community leaders, in which participants repeatedly voiced how crucial it is to involve the faith based community in efforts to help Santa Fe County’s children achieve healthy body weights.

“Our County’s faith based organizations are strong institutions within the community and are uniquely positioned to help curb obesity” said Montoya “They have the ability to reach out to parents and children that schools and the County sometimes have difficulty engaging. Many are also already working to address issues that contribute to obesity such as poverty, unemployment, teen pregnancy, immigration concerns and gang activity.”

The County’s youth obesity rate is higher than in many other parts of the country. If not reversed, it will lead to preventable chronic diseases and, in an age in which employers are looking to reduce rising medical and absenteeism costs, difficulty in finding employment.

The Dialogue brought key community stakeholders together to begin discussing how Santa Fe County’s faith based organizations, community organizations and the County can work together on this issue. Santa Fe County’s Mobile Health Van will be scheduling visits to schools, community centers, and other locations throughout the County to educate and build awareness.

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