Price Shares NJPHK Mission During Public Health Symposium

May 22, 2016 | Community News, Community News and Media, Newark

The 21st Annual Public Health Symposium, sponsored by Rutgers School of Public Health, was a homecoming of sorts for Courtney Price, Project Manager of New Jersey Partnership for Kids-Newark (NJPHK-N).

Price graduated from Rutgers School of Public Health in 2015 and returned this year as a Symposium presenter.

The Symposium addressed the many ways in which the public health system can support healthy living for today’s children. Speakers, poster presentations and exhibiters highlighted how families, communities, schools and other institutions can work together to make the U.S. the healthiest nation in one generation. Participants learned how they can encourage healthy habits for children in New Jersey and beyond.

The event kicked off Public Health Week, which is promoted by the American Public Health Association.

Price shared the podium with keynote speaker Jennifer Ng’andu, from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Kristen Schiro, from EmPower Somerset. Price kicked her presentation off with some sobering statistics that underscore the challenges:

• 14.2% of New Jersey children under the age of five that are from low-income families are obese.
• Among the 44 states reporting on obesity rates among children from low-income families, New Jersey has the highest prevalence.
• Nearly one out of four (24.7%) New Jersey children aged 10-17 is overweight or obese.
• 9% of New Jersey high school students are obese and 14% are overweight.

Price focused on the work of NJPHK, explaining how communities are working to reverse the obesity trends through education and improved food choices in Newark neighborhoods. She focused on the achievements of Let’s Move in the Clinic! and the Newark Corner Store initiative.“

It was great to be back among colleagues and students and to meet future graduates of the program,” said Price. “I always welcome the opportunity to share the NJPHK mission and reflect on the impact we can make as a collective force.”

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