Students across the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), participated in the Healthy Schools Campaign healthy cooking contests. Students were challenged to create a nutritious lunch that includes fresh fruit and vegetables, meets USDA nutrition guidelines, be under 760 calories and costs less than $1.70. The challenge allows students to win a chance to represent Los Angeles across the state and serve the model meal in an all-expenses paid Cooking up Change competition in the capitol. The winner could go on from there to serve the meal to congress and become a model meal for schools across the country. Having healthy options and creative ways to get kids involved in creating healthy meals is a innovative way to change school food environments. Studies show that when ...
A study from Dr. Kevin Gordish, presented at the Experimental Biology 2016 conference, indicates that added sugars and salts increase the risk for increased blood pressure resulting in "fructose-linked hypertension." The study analyzed groups of rats whose diets mimicked the American diets high in sugary beverages and salt. One group of rats were fed drinking water with 20% fructose and another group was fed plain water, but given high salt diets in the second week, resulting in increase blood pressure and leading to hypertension. Gordish explained that the fructose intake, similar the amounts of sugary beverages we consume, decrease the body's ability to get rid of excess salt and increase sodium retention. “The specific combination of fructose and high salt introduced in the ...
Having fresh foods is vital for many schools across the country, especially for Latino kids who are more likely to be at risk for diet-related diseases like diabetes. Three school districts, Binghamton, Cortland, and Marathon are receiving a federal grant of $100,000 dollars to help students get more local fresh foods on their plates. Since 2012, the districts have been working to connect local schools with local farmers and build relationships to keep local produce in local schools. Working to continue the efforts and expand farm-to-school programs, the funds will help BOCES staff reach out to farmers and get more schools on board with buying local produce. Funds had been awarded in the past to BOCES and helped them train school staff in various activities like buying ...
Many restaurants offer the same sugary beverages on kids meals with unhealthy options like high-sugar sodas, lemonades and juices. Now Maryland lawmakers are considering a bill to help ban sodas and other sugary drinks from kids menu's in all restaurants. Wanting to help parents and kids make the healthy choice the easy choice, the bill would change kids menus to offer healthier choices like water, low-fat milk or 100 percent juices at regular price. "The choice that comes with 80 percent of restaurant kids' meals is a soda or a fruit punch, and in those cases families are always welcomed to ask for a healthy drink, but it sometimes costs $2 or $3 more to get a milk," Robi Rawl, the Sugar Free Kids Maryland Executive Director said in a recent article. According to the Center ...
Sugar has been a hot topic in the news. Recent research shows the negative health impacts such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. But does sugar impact kids' brains? A new study shows that not only does consumption of sweets and sugar filled products hurt the body, and cause oral health decay, but also consuming sugar can cause changes in the part of the brain that control emotional and cognitive function. The study was published in the Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, where researchers found that sugar water diets given to rats had the same effect on the brain as if rats were exposed to early life issues or abuse. Over consumption of sugary sweetened beverages is a concern especially for young children the researchers explained, as this can cause ...
All kids, including Latinos, need a healthy school environment. How can we healthy schools become then norm? Some students are more exposed to unhealthy food in and out of school. Stronger nutrition standards for snack foods and drinks will help all students access to healthier snacks at school, which can positively influence body mass index (BMI) trends for all populations. In addition, some students also engage in less physical activity in school, and before and after school. Implementing relevant programs that reduce challenges can increase activity opportunities for Latino and all kids. See the Full Research Review with references (PDF)
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The company behind Oreos, Ritz Crackers, and Cadbury chocolate, Modelēz, have announced to join the Council of Better Business Bureau (CFBAI). Joining CFBAI commits Modelēz to not advertise products directly to children under age 12, and to apply nutrition standards to all products marketed toward kids. The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility has helped drive the change for Modelēz, dialoguing with the company to set stricter policies for kids ages 6-11 years old for nutritional reasons. According to recent studies, some kids see more unhealthy ads compared to their peers, and nearly 40 percent of Latino youths in the U.S. ages 2-19 are overweight or obese. Only 1 percent of food ads on Spanish television show water, fruits, or vegetables and 70% show unhealthy sugary ...
Studies have shown over-consumption of sugary beverages is linked to health risks like diabetes and obesity. Healthier options are a must for kids menu's. Helping parents and kids to make the easy choice the healthy choice when dining out, the company behind Applebee's and IHOP restaurants, has decided to completely remove the option of soda on their kid's menus. This is the first family-dining restaurant to promote and incorporate this change throughout their national chain of restaurants. Organizations like Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), MomsRising, the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity (Rudd Center) and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, along with many other organizations support have made these changes possible. They have ...
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Jefferson Dental Clinics What’s scarier than ghosts, goblins and witches this Halloween? Sugar. One night of trick-or-treating and candy-eating may not be a big deal, but prolonged consumption of sugary treats can wear on tooth enamel. Dental health is a good reason for parents to teach moderation when it comes to sugary treats, helping kids learn that treats are special and not for snacking on all day or night long. A good time have limited treats is after a large meal, when saliva production is at its peak from breaking down your food. Here's five things to avoid or allow on Halloween: 1. Avoid: Hard candies. Jawbreakers and suckers that slowly dissolve in your mouth can be especially harmful because of the amount of time the ...
