Changing school lunch

We already teach children about food at school. We teach them by serving them fast food, that french fries and chicken nuggets are standard fare. We can change it by changing school meals and teaching children to cook, grow, and understand how to eat well. We eat what we see and know so if we clean up school lunch, we can teach our youth to eat well. This is how it works. Let's give them excellent, locally grown, nutritious food. Otherwise we fail.

Risky behavior and energy drinks

According to researchers energy drinks, filled with caffeine, may offer a signal to parents that their children may be risk takers. It is not that the drink itself is so bad for kids but kids who drink them also are more prone to taking risks. Tara Parker-Pope reports on this in a NYT article, Taste for Quick Boost Tied to Taste for Risk. The study, published in the March Journal of American College Health, showed a link between energy drinks, athletics and risky behavior. Dr. Kathleen Miller, an addiction researcher from the University of Buffalo, suggests that high consumption of energy drinks is associated with “toxic jock” behavior, a group of risky and aggressive behaviors.

The data suggest that a regular intake of energy drinks may offer a red flag for parents that their children are more likely to take risks with their safety and health.

Kidney stones in children?

Upon reviewing nutrition news reports this morning I was surprised to see this headline, "Kidney Stones In Children On The Rise, Expert Says"

Typically, kidney stones are found in adults between the ages of 35 and 60 but the risk of kidney stones in kids is rising. Why? Well, the reasons are the same as why so many children are gaining weight. Our lifestyle puts them at risk. Children today are drinking sugar-filled drinks and a fast-food diet that is high in sodium, a known risk factor in the formation of kidney stones.

Our sedentary lifestyle also puts children at risk because children are gaining weight. As overweight and obesity rate rise for adults the rates in children are also rising and obesity increases the risk of forming kidney stones.

So, I come back to my rant for a public health campaign. It is all of us folks. The majority of Americans are gaining weight and the results are health issues in various forms-kidney stones in kids one more for the record books.

School Recess Improves Behavior

Read Tara Pope Parker's piece on January 28, 2009 in the NYT entitled, School Recess Improves Behavior, and join me in saying, "duh! " and "no kidding." Recess, and movement are essential to a child's learning experience. Yet public schools make kids sit and write and read and think. And they should, but without exercise, release and movement many children can not absorb all that is necessary to learn. So I shake my head in disbelief and wonder, what next? Will we get rid of PE in schools and drive our children everywhere because it is unsafe or too cold. Oh Yea. We already do that. But thanks to the NYT and Parker who sites the experts and evidence we can start to discuss the situation. And when we are talking together and shaking our heads together, we work toward change. Groups have power. So read the article, http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/school-recess-improves-behavior/ and have a good recess.