Fruits and Vegetables, Making it Easier to Eat More
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With back-to-school time just around the corner, the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) is calling upon Moms to promote health and combat the national childhood obesity epidemic by focusing on including more fruits and vegetables in meals and snacks. To help Moms instill good eating habits and fight unhealthy food messages on television and in popular culture, PBH is unveiling new sets of strategies and tools for Moms and their families both online and in the retail setting.
In a survey conducted earlier this year, Moms expressed deep concern about how obesity might affect their kids now and when they are adults—and for good reason. Data shows one in three children in this country are overweight and news reports point to scores of American children taking drugs to treat high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes and other conditions related to obesity. According to the same survey, many Moms also feel society is too full of messages encouraging unhealthy eating; a sentiment underscored by recent government reports of increases in product placements in television story lines, and a spend of $1.6 billion by the food and beverage industry to market soda, sugary cereal, and other less nutritious foods to kids.
“We at PBH are devoted to helping Moms realize that it is not only important to meet their family’s daily requirements for fruit and vegetable intake, but it is affordable and easy,” said Elizabeth Pivonka, Produce for Better Health Foundation president and CEO. “Using strategies that focus on fruits and veggies that are fresh, frozen, canned and dried, as well as including 100 percent juice, allow families to learn which fruits and vegetables they enjoy, and which they will choose to meet their daily requirement, which ranges from 2 to 6 1/2 cups each day.”
September is Fruits & Veggies—More Matters month, and for Moms and families looking for creative meal and snack ideas that include more fruits and vegetables, PBH has posted 200 recipes on the Fruits and Veggies—More Matter Web site, http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org. A set of Get Smart! Fruits & Veggies—More Matters tips are also available online. These tips focus on ways to stretch your fruit and veggie dollars in these tough economic times; pack the lunch box in creative and innovative ways that get kids eating more fruits and veggies; and include more fruits and vegetables while hosting a holiday party or entertaining at an informal get-together.
Moms shopping for healthy options can also find the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters logo on over 1,000 different food labels in stores nationwide. To carry the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters logo, food products must meet strict nutrition guidelines for total fat, saturated fat, trans-fat, added sugar, fiber, and sodium content. Consumers can look for the logo on both nationally marketed, brand name products, like those from Green Giant, Sunkist, Welch’s, and others, as well as on the private label products of several grocery chains. Making the most of supermarket visits, many PBH member stores also will hold special education activities for kids, including fruit and veggie treasure hunts, guessing games, samplings and story hours. To compliment these supermarket events, online resources will be posted on the Web site to inspire Moms looking for ways to engage their kids in making healthy eating decisions.
Fruits & Veggies—More Matters is a national public health initiative created to encourage Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables—fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100% juice. The new initiative is a national call-to-action that is attainable and easy for people to understand—it is simply to eat more fruits and vegetables. Fruits & Veggies—More Matters was launched by PBH and the CDC in cooperation with other partners including the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, and U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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