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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – As a dietitian I find it fascinating to hear what people say about food and nutrition. Most are passionate about what they believe even if their beliefs are not grounded in fact. But, I am most concerned when kids come home from school and start to expound on what their teacher said or what they were taught about food. I know that all teachers are well-meaning, but sadly many have little background in nutrition and many have a personal bias when it comes to food.
As parents we have the right to know what resources our schools are using to teach about good nutrition and involved parents can offer avenues to reliable, accurate information. Here are some resources that you might want to share with your school’s principal or classroom teacher.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), the national organization for over 70,000 certified nutritionists and dietitians in the US, targets August as Kids Eat Right month (http://www.eatright.org/resources/kidseatrightmonth). The Kids Eat Right program encourages children and families to eat healthy food and be active. Its core principles are simple – shop smart, cook healthy, eat right.
AND is a great resource for many reasons. One, they have in place a program to help kids learn about healthy eating from infancy through teens. Second, the professionals involved are just that, professional in the field of food and nutrition. They have a college degree. Many have advanced degrees. They have done clinical internships after graduating to hone their practical skills. They have passed a national qualifying exam to use the credentials RD (registered dietitian) or RDN (registered dietitian nutritionist). They are required to do continuing education to maintain their credentials. But, the best is that with the sheer number of members, they are available. Many may be parents in your school district who would be willing to work with students or provide an in-service for teachers. You can easily find them listed on the AND website (http://www.eatright.org/find-an-expert).
Another good, free resource for kids, parents and teachers is the federal government. The USDA Food and Nutrition Service created hands-on, learning opportunities for kids from kindergarten through high school under its Team Nutrition initiative (www.teamnutrition.usda.gov). The lessons provided are connected to standards for math, science, English and health. The USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion has created a curriculum of lessons from kindergarten through high school that helps children think critically about their food and activity choices. Age appropriate lessons, posters and handouts can be downloaded by parents and teachers at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/teachers. Many are available in Spanish.
The Choose My Plate site (http://www.choosemyplate.gov/kids) truly has an unending amount of material that kids will enjoy – interactive computer games, activity sheets, videos, songs, ideas to increase activity, and recipes created by kids. It can provide parents, those who home school, or teachers with a wealth of accurate material to integrate into their curriculum.
Eating well and being active throughout life is the cornerstone of good health and offers the potential for a long life. Sadly, too many of our children don’t get this foundation to build on early enough in life. Be your child’s advocate for good health.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of the nutrition counter series for Pocket Books with sales of more than 8.5 million books.
Look for:
The Diabetes Counter, 5th Ed., 2014
The Fat and Cholesterol Counter, 2014
The Most Complete Food Counter, 3rd ed., 2013
The Calorie Counter, 6th Ed., 2013
The Complete Food Counter, 4th ed., 2012
The Protein Counter, 3rd Ed., 2011
The Ultimate Carbohydrate Counter, 3rd Ed., 2010
The Healthy Wholefoods Counter, 2008
Your Complete Food Counter App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/your-complete-food-counter/id444558777?mt=8
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: www.TheNutritionExperts.com.
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