---
title: "About Shaping America’s Youth"
url: https://shapingamericasyouth.com/
description: "Archived archive of Shaping America’s Youth, the 2003 nationwide childhood-obesity initiative directed by Academic Network, LLC of Portland, Oregon."
---

# About Shaping America’s Youth

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Recorded from the site as published in 2003

Shaping America’s Youth is a nationwide initiative to identify and centralize information on what is being done throughout all sectors of American society to reverse the rapidly increasing prevalence of overweight and inactivity among children and adolescents.

Excessive weight in these age groups has reached epidemic levels. The health consequences for our children, both now and in the future, as well as the health costs of this epidemic are staggering. Widespread efforts are underway throughout the public and private sectors to develop effective means of combating these conditions in young people.

An advisory committee comprising national leaders and experts in childhood and adolescent health, education, nutrition, physical activity, urban design, recreation and other fields, will review the information for completion and accuracy, as well as its relevance and credibility against the defined objectives of the Shaping America’s Youth initiative.

Shaping America’s Youth was developed and directed by Academic Network, LLC, a health communications company based in Portland, Oregon. [Read the full 2003 statement](https://shapingamericasyouth.com/about).

## Pages recorded in this archive

- [About SAY](https://shapingamericasyouth.com/about)The nationwide initiative and its phase-one cross-sector survey of over 1,000 parties.
- [Why participate in this survey?](https://shapingamericasyouth.com/why)The 2003 case for a centralized registry of programs, addressed to organisations invited to take part.
- [Sponsors](https://shapingamericasyouth.com/sponsors)Statements from Nike, McNeil Nutritionals and Campbell Soup Company as published in 2003.
- [Advisors](https://shapingamericasyouth.com/advisors)The eighteen-member advisory committee recorded on the site, with position and organization.
- [Frequently Asked Questions](https://shapingamericasyouth.com/faq)Twelve questions and answers about the initiative, its goals and its second phase.
- [Press Releases](https://shapingamericasyouth.com/press)Both announcements datelined New Orleans, LA, November 3, 2003.
- [Healthy GrandFamilies Initiative](https://shapingamericasyouth.com/grandparent/default.htm)The 2004–2008 preceptor training and its six caregiver workshops.
- [The site in 2007–2008](https://shapingamericasyouth.com/say-2008/) text from the later Academic Network version of this site.

*Advisory committee, as listed on the site in 2003*

| Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Duane Alexander, MD | National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) |
| Susan Barr, PhD, RD | University of British Columbia   Standing Committee on Dietary Reference Intakes, Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences |
| Dennis Bier, MD, PhD | USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)   Baylor College of Medicine |
| William Caplan, MD | Kaiser Permanente Care Management Institute |
| William Dietz, MD, PhD | National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| John Foreyt, PhD | Baylor College of Medicine |
| Brenda Greene | National School Boards Association |
| Eric Hentges | U.S. Department of Agriculture |
| Van Hubbard, MD, PhD | Division of Nutrition Research Coordination, National Institutes of Health |
| Richard Kahn, PhD | American Diabetes Association |
| RADM Woodie Kessel, MD, MPH | U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services |
| Ronald Krauss, MD | Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute   Department of Genome Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory |
| Sarah Levin Martin, PhD | Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| Karyl Thomas Rattay, MD | Office of Public Health and Science, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services |
| Roberto Salazar | U.S. Department of Agriculture |
| James Sallis, PhD | San Diego State University |
| Judith Stern, ScD | Department of Nutrition and Internal Medicine, University of California at Davis   American Obesity Association |
| Reginald Washington, MD | American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Obesity |

[See the full table with positions](https://shapingamericasyouth.com/advisors)

## Phase one, as described in 2003

1. A cross-sector survey collecting data from over 1,000 parties.
2. Review by an advisory committee for completion and accuracy, relevance and credibility.
3. A summary document issued once all entities have responded.
4. A searchable national database and registry to build partnerships and coordinate effort.

## Contact details as published in 2003

Historical record only — none of these channels is monitored today

Academic Network, LLC is a health communication and strategic consulting firm based in Portland, Oregon. Academic Network provides consulting services to government agencies and corporations focusing on evidence-based decision making. Through its specialized call center, Academic Network supports direct-to-consumer and health professionals programs, including clinical trial design and recruitment.

**Organisation**: Academic Network, LLC

**Address**: 1221 SW Yamhill, Suite 303
Portland, Oregon 97205-2110

**Phone**: 1-800-SAY-9221

**Fax**: 503-273-8778

**E-mail**: survey@academicnetwork.com

## Press releases

- [Shaping America’s Youth Initiative Press Release](https://shapingamericasyouth.com/press_say)November 3, 2003
- [Campbell Soup Co. Joins as Co-Sponsor](https://shapingamericasyouth.com/press_campbell)November 3, 2003

## Later material in this archive

- [Healthy GrandFamilies Initiative preceptor training](https://shapingamericasyouth.com/grandparent/default.htm)2004–2008
- [text from the 2007–2008 site](https://shapingamericasyouth.com/say-2008/)2007–2008
