Media Contact: Beth McGroarty
[email protected] • +1.213.300.0107
Global Wellness Institute Announces New Initiative: “The First 1,000 Days”
Initiative will focus on the lifelong Impact of the health of both the mother and father before conception as well as during pregnancy and the first years of a child’s life
Miami, FL – June 14, 2018 – In response to the need for more understanding about the importance of healthy lifestyle practices during preconception, pregnancy and early childhood, the nonprofit Global Wellness Institute™ (GWI) today announced the launch of a new initiative: The First 1,000 Days. The Initiative will focus on educating the public as well as wellness and medical industry professionals on the importance of this time period in conjunction with its broader effort to further the prevention of noncommunicable diseases—such as hypertension, diabetes and emotional disorders—through perinatal and early childhood wellness interventions.
The first 1,000 days typically refers to 270 days of pregnancy, plus the first two years of a child’s life (730 days). However, new research is looking at the impact of the health and lifestyle of both the mother and the father during the six months (180 days) before a baby is conceived. These periods add up to 1,180 days—and a new approach to exploring the many factors that can determine a child’s future health.1
“I believe The First 1,000 Days is one of the most significant initiatives the GWI has undertaken,” said GWI Chair and CEO Susie Ellis. “While many of us in the wellness world focus on helping adults make lifestyle changes, the reality is that preventing poor habits is much easier to do earlier in life. Plus, it is cost effective. Preventing disease before it happens also is the key to global health—and to the Institute’s mission to empower wellness worldwide.”
Ellis noted that 69 percent of all deaths globally each year are a result of preventable diseases (Centers for Disease Control, 2017) and according to the World Economic Forum, the global cost of largely preventable chronic diseases could reach $47 trillion by 2030.
Patricia Ladis, PT, CBBA and co-founder of KIMA Wellness, will serve as The First 1,000 Days Initiative chair, and Alina Hernandez, head, development and communications for The Pecos Program (Pregnancy Evolution Care Observation Science) in the US, will serve as vice-chair. Landis and Hernandez work with wellness pioneer Dr. Sergio Pecorelli, an Italian academic, obstetrican-gynocologist and surgeon who developed The PECOS Program, which provides training and education for evidence-based wellness interventions during the critical first 1,000 days of life and preconception.
The 10-member Initiative team will work in partnership with a broad spectrum of medical and wellness professionals, public health agencies, nongovernmental organizations and spa and wellness facilities as well as media.
The vision of The First 1000 Days Initiative is to positively impact the health of future generations across the world by promoting positive lifestyle habits during preconception, pregnancy and the first two years of life. According to its Mission Statement, the latest evidence-based scientific research will be used to arm future mothers and fathers—of varying socioeconomic backgrounds—with knowledge about the critical lifelong impact of parental and baby health.
The GWI supports 24 initiatives, which become global taskforces on wide-ranging wellness issues. An Initiative Chairperson(s), who is a thought-leader in his or her area of focus, leads each initiative.
Learn more at https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/first-1000-days.
For more info, contact Beth McGroarty: [email protected] or (+1) 213-300-0107
About the Global Wellness Institute: The Global Wellness Institute (GWI), a non-profit 501(c)(3), is considered the leading research and educational resource for the $3.7 trillion global wellness economy, and is known for introducing major industry initiatives and regional events that bring together leaders from both private and public sectors to chart the future. Its mission is to empower wellness worldwide. www.globalwellnessinstitute.org
1. Global Wellness Summit 2018 Trends Report, January 2018
