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Foundation promotes healthy food choices amongst youth
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Kids take on obesity
Here’s an approach that may help address the obesity problem in this country and positively affect the eating habits of our youth. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has funded a pilot program that tracks the food choices made by middle and high school students in Warren County (KY) Schools and gives discounts for making healthy choices as well as monthly cash prize incentives.
The goal of this study, which was recently launched by the Healthy Weight Kids Coalition and Western Kentucky University’s Institute of Medicine (WKU), is to determine whether the incentives can affect overall diet choices amongst youth.
Roughly 9,000 Smart Bites cards (similar to Smart Cards) will be given to local students as part of a national pilot program to encourage kids to make healthy food and beverage choices. WKU previously conducted a study of local students to see how often and where they ate out the most, and then researched the best way to influence their eating habits outside the home.
WKU nutritionists compiled a guidebook listing the healthiest options at more than 40 local foodservice establishments. When students choose one of these selections, they earn points through a swipe of their Smart Bites cards and are entered into the monthly lottery for a cash prize. There are also discounts for select healthy choices such as low sugar beverages and salads.
The US Dept of Agriculture has launched a great searchable web page that allows you to search a huge data base of information about the nutrient content of many common foods.
The Centers for Disease Control has a new web page which gives valuable information on getting healthy curricula for all aspects of child health, including Health Education, Physical Education, Health Services, Nutrition Services, and Counseling.
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