UA Arizona Nutrition Network Receives Tucson Parks and Recreation Commissioner Award

AzNN

The Arizona Nutrition Network at the UA promotes healthy living for children and families. The network began in 1998 and runs throughout the year.

Health Event

The Arizona Nutrition Network engages youth in activities while also teaching about healthy eating and living habits.

By University Communications March 5, 2010

The Arizona Nutrition Network at the UA was honored for his work with Tucson Parks and Recreation.

For the last three years, the Arizona Nutrition Network at the University of Arizona has worked with Tucson Parks and Recreation to support nutrition and nutrition-integrated physical education. 

For this work, Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup and city council members presented the Arizona Nutrition Network with a Commissioner Award last month in recognition of its "outstanding partnership" with Tucson Parks and Recreation.

The UA network has also provided technical assistance in the collaboration, which is open to qualifying Parks and Recreation KIDCO programs. 

This year, 75 Parks and Recreation staff provided more than 7,000 hours of nutrition education reaching more than 1,500 students.  

In the nomination, Shannon Hudson, the recreation partnership coordinator noted that "the positive nutrition messages that are being shared at KIDCO with the combined effort of the UA Nutrition Network and KIDCO staff will reach far into the future of our participants." 

Hudson also said: "Through teaching the value of physical activity combined with good nutrition, Tucson Parks and Recreation staff is working to help a young generation of Tucsonans live healthier lives and pass those messages about good nutrition on to future generations."

The UA Nutrition Network is funded through the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Arizona Department of Health Services. The program is coordinated through the UA Cooperative Extension and the UA's nutritional sciences department under the direction of Principal Investigator Dr. Scottie Misner, an associate specialist for nutritional sciences. 

The primary objective of the UA Nutrition Network is to create and foster an environment where youth make informed food and physical activity choices. 

Educational activities are directed towards food stamp eligible children and their families. 

Nutrition messages encourage students and families to adopt behaviors consistent with MyPyramid.gov and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Et Cetera