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Help
your teen pass the fruits and veggies test
October 7, 2009
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
North Carolina teens are failing
the fruit and vegetables test.
They’re not alone. No state meets national recommendations
for fruit and vegetable consumption, according to a report
issued late last month by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.
On average, fewer than ten percent of U.S. high school students
get the recommended three servings of vegetables and two servings
of fruits each day. North Carolina rates well below that average,
with only six percent of teens getting enough fruits and vegetables.
That’s a concern, because diets rich in fruits and vegetables
help teens maintain a normal weight and protect against chronic,
degenerative diseases such as diabetes, coronary artery disease
and some forms of cancer.
The CDC report underscores the urgent need for states to do
more to support efforts to help us eat healthier diets. The
agency outlined three target areas for states and local communities
– including schools and families – to focus on
in the push to get fruits and vegetables on our plates:
* Food retail. Many North Carolinians need better access to
grocery stores that sell a wide range of fruits and vegetables.
We need a greater variety of venues where we can buy healthful
foods, including at convenience stores and farmers markets.
State policymakers can help through creative ways of funding
new stores or renovating and equipping existing stores so
that they can sell fresh and frozen produce. Farmers markets
that accept Electronic Benefits Transfer can be another good
source of healthful foods for low-income people on federal
assistance programs.
* School food service. Schools can set a positive example
and create a health-supporting environment by serving whole
fruit instead of juice, vegetables that aren’t fried
and restricting the sales of junk foods in vending machines
and school stores.
State policymakers should support Farm-to-School programs
that bring more produce to school campuses and provide education
and training in nutrition for students, parents, teachers
and school food service personnel.
* Food system support. We need an approach that considers
the full spectrum of factors involved in getting food from
farm to table.
North Carolina is making good progress where that’s
concerned.
In August, Gov. Perdue signed into law a bill to establish
the North Carolina Sustainable Local Food Advisory Council.
The group will be made up of representatives from diverse
interest groups working together to advise the state legislature
about ways to make locally grown foods more available in schools
and underserved areas.
“Through the food policy council, we hope to increase
the number of residents who live healthier lives by increasing
the availability of affordable fruits and vegetables,”
said Diane Beth, N.C. fruit and vegetable coordinator in the
Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch, Division of Public
Health.
There are some things you can do on the home front, too, to
encourage your teen to eat more fruits and vegetables:
* Set an example yourself. Your kids notice what you eat.
Model the eating habits you want them to emulate.
* Inspire your teen. Get him or her involved in growing, shopping
for and preparing fruits and vegetables.
All of us are more likely to eat foods we’ve had a hand
in preparing. Those hands-on experiences are particularly
effective when they begin in early childhood.
* Make fruits and vegetables part of the food environment
at home. Have plenty of produce on hand.
Pack fruits and vegetables in lunches, serve them with meals
and keep them readily available, washed and cut up in the
refrigerator. Stock a bowl with several types of seasonal
fruits and keep it within easy reach for quick snacks.
Help your whole family ace the fruit and vegetable test.
Suzanne
Havala Hobbs is a licensed, registered dietitian and clinical
associate professor in the Department of Health Policy and
Management and the Department of Nutrition in the UNC Gillings
School of Global Public Health. Send questions and comments
to suzanne@onthetable.net.
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