Obese Kids Prone to Bullying?
Bullies have been around for a very long time. Different kids, regardless of the difference, have always faced problems with bullies, and being overweight falls under the “different” category.
According to one study published in the “Pediatrics” journal, obese children in grades 3 through 6 are more likely to be bullied than children who aren’t overweight regardless of academics, social skills, race, or gender. The study showed that 45% of children in these grades were bullied with obese children being 63% more likely to be bullied.
Pop Chips Now Found in Healthy Vending Machines
There is a new breed of potato chips to be found on the market: Pop Chips which are neither fried nor baked. Although they sound like a mixture of two other snack foods, the taste is quite original to most snack food purveyors. As part of a good review of fresh vending products, the Sour Cream and Onion variety was sampled. While they proved to be good, they did not measure up to the magic of the Utz version of the same flavor.
Super Target was the first store at which these items were espied. They also happened to be carried at the Whole Food Markets too. A conversation between a mother and son was overheard there explaining the reason for purchasing pop chips. She was trying to convince her son that they were good. The brand can also be seen at both Safeway as well as Jamba Juice locations. They are the perfect complement for a gluten free diet such as featured with a guru like Amy.
Healthy Vending Machines in Schools for 2010
As the intense drive to curb childhood obesity continues across the nation, campaign and the study against the epidemic strengthens anew. Different programs, posters, advertisements, national and local awareness plan and other healthy meal and vending options abound in order to get the message to children in schools and to their parents.
Parents will have their peace of mind when it comes to food being served to their children in school. More and more educational institutions are offering healthy vending machines effective this school year 2010. Considering the busy schedules of parents, mostly do not prepare lunches and snacks for their kids and rely on the most convenient and accessible accessory in school, the vending machines. Previously vending machines are said to be the main contributor of obesity factor to children. As the rate of childhood obesity increases globally, programs and policies on local communities, state, and nation have been implemented to make sure that kids are eating nutritious and healthy foods in school.
Fresh Vending Machines Should be a Part of Workplace Wellness
As the rate of obesity cases increases rapidly across the nation, corporations are more than welcome to initiate wellness program on their employees to cut cost on swelling insurance premiums and at the same time keep the productivity of their business. The importance of workplace wellness programs is being acknowledged by companies around the nation because it is not just a way to motivate employees to be productive, but also a promotion of healthy lifestyle. This is why more businesses are undertaking workplace-based interventions to promote healthy behaviors and improve employees’ health.
It is a common belief that people are like chameleons, they change or adapt to the environment where they are so if you want healthy employees, then create a healthy environment. There are many ways to have a healthy workplace. You can initiate a fun run, power walk; incentives for those who quit smoking or even once a week organic food treat. But the best to kickoff your wellness program is putting a fresh healthy vending machine in your workplace.
Health Club Vending Machines to get Healthy Snacks
Health club vending machines are all up to the challenge of promoting a healthier nation. This time though, one of them is targeting all parents’ participation in achieving a healthy lifestyle. After all, if we want our kids to start living healthy, parents should lead by example.
“Too much blame is being placed on the kids. Adults need to step up and be better role models if we want our kids to be healthy. That’s what this is all about,” says Chuck Runyon—CEO of Anytime Fitness—pertaining to the nationwide campaign featuring TV commercials and full-page ads in USA Today and People magazine which declare “There is no childhood obesity epidemic.”
School Vending Machines in Need of an Overhaul
If one can do it, everyone else can. This is in reference to vending machines that are starting to offer nutritious food alternatives to students in schools and other public places. Fresh healthy vending options should be the new “in” thing in food nutrition and every vending machine vendors should take their own little way of supporting one great goal of ending childhood obesity.
When Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum did a makeover to its lunchroom which is now called the “Nature’s Lunchbox” exhibit, they also made sure that their vending machines undergo a serious overhaul. Baked chips, trail mix, juice and vitamin water are among the new selections that purposely replaces junk foods and high-caloric drinks to indulge children and parents take the healthier route. Now their visitors do not only come and learn about the origins of food and how to create nutritious menus, they are also eating healthy while at the museum.
Healthy Vending Machine Featuring Fresh Fruit
US based company, Dole Food Company, Inc., has been collaborating with national organizations in bringing healthy food products in vending machines. Utilizing the School Link Technology Software, these vending machines are supplying DOLE brand healthy food products such as fresh fruits and Fruit Bowls(R), in conjunction with cafeteria-prepared salads, sandwich wraps and milk.
In turn, these gives school children a wider access to healthy and nutritious foods. Plus, these vending machines are placed in 15 different schools across four states. These schools are located in Mesa, Arizona; Denver, Colorado; Shawnee Mission, Kansas; Corpus Christie, Texas and Conroe, Texas.
Nutrition Improving in School Vending Machines
Good news to every parent and students alike. The Senate passed the “Healthy, Hunger-free Kids Act,” a revamp of the 1966 Child Nutrition Act. If approved, federal child nutrition programs will be given an increase of $4.5 billion funding over 10 years. However, Slow Food USA, a movement linking its members the pleasure of food with a pledge to the community and the environment, passed an urgent warning about the said nutrition act. The new bill revision states that the budget for food stamp will be cut to be able to fund programs for healthier meals, regulation on school vending machines and for Farm to School projects, a clear case of paradox.
Nevertheless, if not for the food stamp budget decrease, “Healthy, Hunger-free Kids Act,” is a laudable bill as it will allot resources to raise the nutrition standards in school lunch rooms and vending machines by changing the usual meals to “healthy and nutritious food.” It will also provide programs that will encourage students to let go of the high-sugar and salty junk foods being offered by vending machines.
Children Need Guidance in Making Good Nutritional Choices
When going back to school, children need to remember 80 and 20. You may wonder what these numbers are. Susan Mann, registered dietitian at the Baptists Health Center for Diabetes and Nutrition Education said these are numbers in percentage, of the amount of nutritional food to be consumed daily versus amount of treat allowances they can have.
80 is the nutrition number.Local Health professionals have advised on the need for school going students to concentrate on their nutritional needs especially if they are bringing home made lunches. Mann further said all nutritional aspects like proteins, carbohydrates and dairy needs to be included in a lunch and from vending machines. Mann suggested that to keep kids interested in their lunches, its necessary to try different varieties of bread for sandwiches i.e. whole wheat bagels,bread,tortilla wraps and also changing the mixes that goes in the bread like peanut butter, cream cheese, shredded