The program is designed to present new findings on:

• Causes and mechanisms of health factors, subclinical, and clinical cardiovascular diseases. 
• Relationships of nutrition (diet) and physical activity (fitness) with cardiometabolic health.
• Relationships of obesity, diabetes, and renal disease with cardiometabolic health.
• Genetic and environmental epidemiology of cardiometabolic health.
• Effects of lifestyle interventions on cardiometabolic disease and its health factors.
• Results of cardiovascular disease prevention trials.
• Population trends in cardiovascular diseases and their health factors.
• Global cardiovascular health

The program also will provide participants with the opportunity to learn current information about: 

• Advances in measuring diet and physical activity.
• Advances in techniques in preventive cardiology.
• Behavioral strategies to promote and sustain lifestyle modifications.
• Clinical, population, and global health strategies to promote cardiometabolic health.
• Outcomes research in cardiovascular health.
• Guideline development related to cardiovascular health
• Advances in techniques relevant to observational studies and clinical trials.Methods of population surveillance for cardiovascular health and health factors.
   

The program includes presentations of new high-quality, high-impact research; and, it is organized around oral, moderated poster, and poster abstract presentations, with special translational science lectures and debates on current issues relevant to cardiometabolic health and preventive cardiology.  This format is intended to maximize the opportunities for thought-provoking interaction across a wide spectrum of scientists, including junior investigators as well as senior researchers.  The sessions are designed to enhance the careers of young and early mid-career investigators and practitioners committed to the promotion of cardiometabolic health.  The sessions emphasize 1) translational science, 2) population science, and 3) interdisciplinary approaches to the development and application of knowledge related to the promotion of cardiometabolic health.  As a result, the EPI/NPAM Spring 2012 Scientific Sessions are unique in content and format; and, the sessions are designed to promote efforts to achieve the recently-described AHA 2020 Strategic Goals.

The program is designed to present new findings on:

• Causes and mechanisms of health factors, subclinical, and clinical cardiovascular diseases. 
• Relationships of nutrition (diet) and physical activity (fitness) with cardiometabolic health.
• Relationships of obesity, diabetes, and renal disease with cardiometabolic health.
• Genetic and environmental epidemiology of cardiometabolic health.
• Effects of lifestyle interventions on cardiometabolic disease and its health factors.
• Results of cardiovascular disease prevention trials.
• Population trends in cardiovascular diseases and their health factors.
• Global cardiovascular health

The program also will provide participants with the opportunity to learn current information about: 

• Advances in measuring diet and physical activity.
• Advances in techniques in preventive cardiology.
• Behavioral strategies to promote and sustain lifestyle modifications.
• Clinical, population, and global health strategies to promote cardiometabolic health.
• Outcomes research in cardiovascular health.
• Guideline development related to cardiovascular health
• Advances in techniques relevant to observational studies and clinical trials.Methods of population surveillance for cardiovascular health and health factors.
   

The program includes presentations of new high-quality, high-impact research; and, it is organized around oral, moderated poster, and poster abstract presentations, with special translational science lectures and debates on current issues relevant to cardiometabolic health and preventive cardiology.  This format is intended to maximize the opportunities for thought-provoking interaction across a wide spectrum of scientists, including junior investigators as well as senior researchers.  The sessions are designed to enhance the careers of young and early mid-career investigators and practitioners committed to the promotion of cardiometabolic health.  The sessions emphasize 1) translational science, 2) population science, and 3) interdisciplinary approaches to the development and application of knowledge related to the promotion of cardiometabolic health.  As a result, the EPI/NPAM Spring 2012 Scientific Sessions are unique in content and format; and, the sessions are designed to promote efforts to achieve the recently-described AHA 2020 Strategic Goals.

The conference is designed to benefit researchers as well as public health practitioners and clinicians. The meeting should appeal to physicians, epidemiologists, dietitians, nutritional scientists, exercise physiologists, behavioral scientists, biostatisticians, pharmacists, physician assistants, nurses, school health professionals and other health scientists.

By the end of this conference, participants should be able to:

1. Discuss recent research on genetic contributions to CVD and stroke and consider these developments in the context of cardiovascular public health genomics.
    
2. Describe current research into traditional and novel biomarkers and risk factors that may be used to assess primary and secondary cardiovascular risk, and identify future research needs.
    
3. Describe the most recent studies and approaches related to maintaining and improving the health of individuals and populations over the lifespan.
    
4. Discuss evidence-based opportunities to prevent and manage overweight and obesity among populations.
    
5. Integrate new technologies for nutritional and physical activity counseling and assessment, and weight management into their research and/or clinical practices.
    
6. Discuss the AHA’s 2020 goals, the definition of ideal cardiovascular health and the opportunities and implications for clinical practice.

Thursday, March 15, 8:50 AM: The Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism David Kritchevsky Memorial Lecture, featuring Henry C. McGill, MD, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX

Thursday, March 15, 1:30 – 3:00 PM: Jeremiah and Rose Stamler Research Award for New Investigators.  The finalists for this award will present their research.  The winner will be announced at the Joint Council Dinner on Thursday, March 15.

Friday, March 16, 8:30 AM:  The Council on Epidemiology and Prevention Richard D. Remington Methodology Lecture, featuring Kiang Liu, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL.

Friday, March 16, 3:30 PM: American Society for Preventive Cardiology Annual Debate, featuring Peter Kwiterovich, MD, Johns Hopkins University Lipids Clinic, Baltimore MD and Rita Redberg, MD, University of California San Francisco, Cholesterol Screening and Management Should Start in Children.

NPAM Annual Business Meeting & Networking Luncheon. A great opportunity to get caught up on council activities related to the councils formidable mission, and to meet some key leaders in the NPAM Council.  During the second half of the luncheon the NPAM Early Career Committee is pleased to host a special presentation:  "To Mentor and to Be Mentored - Making it Work For You" presented by Alice H. Lichtenstein DSc FAHA, Tufts University, Boston, MA.

NHLBI CVD Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Trainee Session. Trainees in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)-supported programs will present their work in this session, and all conference registrants are invited to attend. There is no separate registration fee.

2nd Annual Fun Run.  Join us for the second annual 5K fun run.  Open to all attendees regardless of fitness level. Walkers are welcome! Registration Information will be onsite.

Early Career Breakfast and Reception. Come back hungry from the fun run and join us for a continental breakfast supported by the Early Career Committees of the Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Fitness and the Council on Epidemiology and Prevention.  Both councils are proud to host a special session immediately following: "The Many Careers of Ancel Keys: From Oceanography to Epidemiology” presented by Sarah W. Tracy, Ph.D., University of Oklahoma, beginning at 7:30 AM.

Connection Corner. Make sure to stop by Connection Corner (CC) during morning and afternoon breaks on Thursday and Friday.  Connection Corner is an excellent networking opportunity for conference attendees (especially first-time attendees and junior investigators) to meet each other, senior investigators, and others involved in the Epidemiology and Prevention Council and Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism Council leadership. This year, CC will feature investigators from large studies to facilitate collaboration and mentorship between various studies and early career attendees.  Introduction to studies will take place at the roundtable lunches.

Professional Development Roundtables. This is your chance to meet the experts on various topics of interest! We will have 15 tables on different topics both Thursday and Friday. Additionally this year, representatives from a wide variety of existing studies will be on hand to discuss potential avenues of collaboration. These sessions will be interactive and dynamic opportunities to discuss, share and learn!  Boxed lunches will be provided but attendance is limited.

NIH Grant Process Overview Session. This session will provide an overview of the path from “idea” to “application” for epidemiologic research and will describe the process of the review of epidemiology applications at the NIH. Common problems in applications will be discussed, and qualities of successful applications will be described. An opportunity to address specific questions is planned after the presentation. The session will be presented by Fungai Chanetsa, National Institutes of Health.

Hot Off the Press. This session will provide a forum for in-depth discussion of important publications that were released less than six months before the conference. 

Joint Council Annual Reception and Dinner