A new $21,367 dollar grant for a one-year investigation is being awarded to meet global research needs. The 2017 Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition (BCFN) is looking for groundbreaking research ideas around the sustainability of food systems. BCFN grants support PhD and postdoctoral researchers under the age of 35 or who are pursuing or completed a PhD in the field of food and nutrition. Researchers who are currently undergoing research or have new research are encouraged to submit projects online through the BCFN website by June 28th. Three awards will be given and all finalists will be a part of the BCFN Alumni to keep topics and dialogue alive on these subjects. To learn more about this research grant opportunity, click ...
Obesity rates in Arkansas (7.2% Latino) have been on the rise. Excessively sugary foods and drinks increase your risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, depression, and other chronic diseases. According to our research review, Latinos and people living in poverty are more likely to consume excessively sugary foods and drinks. To address poor nutrition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has modified the nutrition standards for nearly all of its federal food programs to align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, except for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Arkansas Lawmakers proposed House Bill 1035 during the 2017 legislative session that would limit SNAP to foods that have "sufficient nutritional value." The Arkansas Department of Health ...
A city that is planning to be the healthiest city in Texas is looking to change they way they look at food to make heart disease and diabetes a thing of the past. In Midland, Texas (17.6 % Latino) Midland Memorial Hospital (MMH) is one of only two hospitals in the country to be part of a special partnership with the creator of Plant Pure Nation, a documentary about the health benefits of being on a pure plant based diet. The hospital has seen dramatic results in its patients who are going on this diet in regards to their health, where many patients have deterred their need for surgery or medications, just by changing their diets. Dr. Gurru, a local physician at the hospital for over 15 years explained to local CBS 7 news, why the hospital is promoting this type of ...
Many foods are marketed as "healthy" to consumers, but what about the amount of sugar that is in each product? Antonio R. Estrada, a photographer, CrossFit enthusiast and sports nutritionist is aiming to show consumers products marketed as healthy, in their true light, portraying the amount of sugar contained in many products that people consume on a daily basis. Estrada explains that his idea is simple, to show consumers the amounts of sugar in products in the same way that industries show their products, with great lighting, packaging and visual effects. By putting the amount of sugar next to each product, consumers visualize the amount of sugar in an easy to see format. He hopes that through this artistic way of portraying these products, consumers will share his photos (with ...
Students are encouraged to eat healthy lunches, but what if there was a program to increase efforts of consumption of fruits and vegetables while in school? Now students at Meramec Elementary are enjoying more fruits and vegetables in their diets at school. The school was also selected as a 2016 Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) School Foodservice Role Model for its efforts to increase fruits and vegetable consumption for their students and staff. How? Meramec's school Nurse, Caren Etling helped started the school's Science Garden in the Spring of 2015, encouraging students to learn about plants, crops, harvesting and healthy eating. Students planted corn, beans, native Missouri plants and a variety of herbs. Etling encouraged teachers to teach students about valuable ...
In the township of Shelby, Michigan, a local intern helped to create a way to encourage health among employees through healthier vending. In the summer of 2016, township's Wellness Committee worked with Shelby Township Supervisor's office intern Kayla Gahlau, to create healthier vending and help increase funds for the employee wellness program. “We initially created this project because we believed that the healthy vending project would be another way to improve the overall quality of life in Shelby Township,” Gahlau told The Source. After proposing the idea of the healthier food options for the employee vending to Deputy Supervisor Brad Bates, they agreed that the project could not only help employees overall wellness but also help Gahlau develop in her health ...
Do the vending machines in your workplace, school, or city have calorie labels posted on food items? If not, they should, as the law passed by congress in March 2010 has now been in effect for over 5 million vending machines across the nation since December 1, 2016. Vending machines that are owned or operated by vendors with 20 or more machines should now officially offer consumers information to make the healthier choice the easier choice with calories labeled for each food and beverage item. A fact sheet on vending labeling developed by The Center for Science in the Public Interest and Voices for Healthy Kids, a joint initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the American Heart Association has detailed information about the requirements of the law. The fact ...
Fast-food is usually considered unhealthy, as it contains added salts, fats and sugars in most menu items, but how does the packaging of fast-food harm you? A new study funded by the National Science Foundation and the Silent Sprint institute showed how chemicals used in an array of fast food packaging can be dangerous to consumers. Health risks like cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, low birth weight and decreased fertility are associated with a chemical used in fast food packaging called PFASs (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances) also known as PFCs, which are highly fluorinated chemicals. “These chemicals have been linked with numerous health problems, so it’s concerning that people are potentially exposed to them in food,” said Laurel Schaider, an ...
In Dona Ana County (67.1% Latino) where many adults are diagnosed with diabetes, new classes are cooking up to help those diagnosed enjoy diet modifications to improve their health. What is being called the Kitchen Creations cooking school, is being offered at a local high school, Mayfield High School to ensure participants have access to hands-on learning. Participants can build skills like how to plan meals, measure appropriate service sizes, how to read food labels and balance carbohydrates, which all can help aid better blood glucose levels, and increase health outcomes. Participants are sharing the good news of their A1C levels dropping and enjoying the classes, explained Cassandra Vanderpool, registered dietitian and Extension diabetes coordinator for NMSU’s Department ...
