Sometimes getting public places to make healthy changes is simple: just ask! The Tweens Nutrition and Fitness Coalition (TNFC) is a group of over 30 community members working together to create healthy food and physical activity environments for Lexington, KY kids ages 9-13. A coalition member was visiting a Kentucky State Park and filled out a comment card requesting that they put more healthy options on the resort dining menus. Already working in healthy food guidelines, TNFC developed Better Bites, nutritional guidelines meant to be implemented wherever kids are: recreation centers, schools, camps, and more. The comment card was taken seriously, and changes began to happen. A request that took seconds to write ended in all 17 Kentucky State Parks ...
School Bites, a blog about bringing more healthy food into the school system, provides tips on having less junk food in the classroom on Valentines Day. Together the two healthy Valentine's Day posts include 27 unique ideas of how to incorporate healthier foods like fruits, vegetables, smoothies, and water into the classroom parties. There are also suggestions for active games to play during the day, like Musical Hearts or Valentine's Hopscotch. These activites can get kids moving, having fun, and thinking less about the sugary snacks that traditionally provided during classroom parties. These ideas are complied from her network of school-health blogs and ideas from other concerned parents. See the 2014 guide 12 Naturally Sweet Ideas for a Healthy School Valentine’s Day ...
It is hardest for minorities, like Latinos, in urban areas of the United States to purchase healthy foods close to home, according to a new study, Saludify reports. The team for the study, led by Dr. Carolyn Cannuscio of the University of Pennsylvania and published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, interviewed nearly 500 people about their food shopping habits in West and Southwest Philadelphia. They also accessed the quality and variety of food offerings at more than 370 stores—about 80% corner stores—in the area. Most of the corner stores scored very low on the healthy food assessment. Despite the fact that 90% of the residents in the area said the corner stores were the closest to their residence to shop, only one-third of those residents said they ...
A recent study from scholars at the Center for Healthy Policy at the University of New Mexico on Hispanic children in the Rio Grande Valley found that obesity is not the only health issue affecting youth. Although obesity has been the main issue with the diet and health of Hispanic youth, malnutrition due to a limited diet is becoming an major concern. The study found that in the Rio Grande Valley Hispanic children ages 2-19 tend to be more malnourished and overweight or obese than non-Hispanic children, but the healthy-weight Hispanic youth have higher rates of being malnourished than their obese counterparts. Malnutrition in young children can stunt growth and cause irreversible issues. Although researchers are emphasizing a diet that is full of low-fat or low-calorie options, ...
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation has teamed up with the Boys and Girls Club of America to improve the health and wellness of kids in out-of-school time settings. In this new initiative, leading food companies and purchasing organizations have agreed to extend the discounts and services they offer schools, to out-of-school time programs. Participating food companies have agreed to offer healthy foods that meet the Alliance for a Healthier Generation guidelines and USDA nutrition standards at prices no higher than comparable products that are less healthy. Along with these price adjustments, out-of-school time programs could save 10 – 20 percent on their food and beverage purchasing. More than 15% of American youth are involved in after-school programs and ...
Bridging the Gap, a Robert Wood Johnson funded national research program focused on understanding how policy and environmental factors affect the health of today's youth, has created the new interactive website about school snack foods and beverages State Laws for School Snack Foods and Beverages. The website covers laws in all fifty states over the course of seven school years and displays the information in colorful, easy to understand visuals. A map of a school is found on the website, which is interactive and allows users to click on each area where foods and beverages may be served at school. By clicking on an area the user gets an up to date summary on the current national status of laws for that topic, and is given links to more specific related issues. Bridging the Gap ...
Active kids need snacks to refuel their bodies and their minds. While some snacks, like fried chips and candy, work against growing kids, healthy snacks can be just what a kid needs to power through the day. Check out some healthy snacks ideas and tips from USA ...
So-called "Hispanic millennials" are shifting their drink preferences in a healthier direction, according to a report. The report by Tr3s indicated that these Hispanic millennials, generally young adults ages 18-29, drink more non-alcoholic beverages on average than their non-Hispanic peers. And they often choose drinks based on health and nutritional value. For example: Hispanic millennials are monitoring their health by choosing drinks with less fat, such as 2%, 1%, or skim milk.
Also, 60% claim to drink fewer sugary drinks.
And when making healthy choices when grocery shopping, 1 in 6 are buying organic meat fruit, vegetables, and dairy products. But nutritional value isn't the only factor. Hispanic millenials also make choices based on popularity among ...
A recent study by the Children's Nutrition Research Center in Houston, Texas has discovered an interesting correlation between obesity and peanut consumption. According to their study, Mexican-American children who consume peanuts at least once a week are less likely to be overweight or obese. Currently, 39% of the Mexican-American children are classified as overweight or obese, compared to the 32% of all children in the United States- a fact that prompts studies like this, that explore what factors and foods affect childhood obesity. Studies have long shown the health benefits of nut consumption for adults, aiding in lower lipid levels, lower body mass indices, and reduced risk of coronary artery disease. This study looks specifically at how these benefits relate to children. It ...
