In the Community

March 29, 2007

The Road to Health

Kaiser Permanente Sponsors the Tavis Smiley Road to Health Expo series, which seeks to help young people make great decisions about food, fitness and lifestyle.

Los Angeles—Kaiser Permanente is the national presenting sponsor for Tavis Smiley's Road to Health Health, Fitness and Wellness Expo, a two-day educational event that combines positive messages about food, fitness and lifestyle decisions with fun activities and personalities.

The expo, which is designed primarily to serve African-American and Latino youths, was to be held March 30-31 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. About 30,000 visitors were expected at the expo, including thousands of middle-school students from the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Los Angeles is the third stop on a four-city tour, which will conclude with an event May 11-12 at the Oakland Convention Center, less than a mile from KP's national headquarters. Events were held last year in Baltimore and Atlanta.

The Road to Health expo, which is free to the public, offers a variety of activities and information for young people such as cooking, nutrition and fitness demonstrations, makeovers and holistic medicine pavilions, medical screenings and referrals, live discussions, indoor and outdoor exercise activities and motivational speakers.

The Road to Health is designed to convey four themes:

• Reduce your risk: Healthy bodies need to be kept safe. Drugs, violence, accidents, and diseases caused by unsafe sex are the leading killers of African-Americans and Latinos in America. Respect your body and respect others.
  
• Strike a balance: Healthy bodies maintain a balance of nutrients and eliminate toxins. Eating different fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains, and drinking plenty of water, helps your body maintain this balance.
  
• Optimize the flow: Healthy bodies need free-flowing passages for air, blood, water and nutrients. Exercising and eating right are key factors in keeping these passageways open.
  
• Create a lifestyle: Healthy bodies are made, not born. Commit to your health by increasing your physical activity, eating healthier foods and getting plenty of rest.

Because ethnic and racial minorities face the greatest health challenges in America today, Kaiser Permanente is actively supporting the Road to Health programs that promote prevention and wellness for the people and communities that KP serves.

Smiley, 42, is a leading commentator, public radio host and author on the topic of the plight facing urban African-American youth. He was an aide to the late Tom Bradley, the first African-American mayor of Los Angeles.

Other Road to Health features include a Cardio Zone, in which students can rock-climb, box, skateboard and play basketball, golf, soccer and tennis. They can also meet with celebrity stylists, walk with Olympians, watch live performances and participate in workshops. The 30-minute workshops cover a variety of topics, including understanding the health risks associated with specific ethnic backgrounds, boosting body image and self-confidence, reducing stress, making healthy food choices and steering clear of illegal drugs. The expo will also include a career café featuring information about new and interesting jobs in health, fitness and wellness.

Among the free health screenings offered are blood pressure, blood sugar/glucose, bone density, cholesterol, lung function, kidney disease, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and dental and eye exams. Information also will be provided about chronic health problems such as diabetes, obesity, asthma and heart disease.

Performers from Kaiser Permanente Southern California's Educational Theatre Programs participated in the Los Angeles event, as did a number of KP health experts.

Smiley has hosted programs on the Black Entertainment Network and National Public Radio. He currently hosts Tavis Smiley, a late-night talk show televised on the Public Broadcasting Service network. He also hosts a similar, weekly, two-hour version on Public Radio International radio stations. He has written eight books, including Doing What's Right: How to Fight for What You Believe – And Make a Difference.