HBO's 'Weight of the Nation' examines the obesity epidemic

A compelling four-part documentary delving into the obesity epidemic sweeping the country is being aired on HBO and can be watched free by clicking here. A reporter wanting to write a series of stories on the issue would find "weight of the Nation" a good reference.

The program is divided into four parts. The first segment, "Consequences," looks at the scope of the epidemic and the ramifications of being overweight or obese. "Choices" looks at the science behind how to lose weight, how to maintain weight loss and prevent weight gain. The third part, "Children in Crisis," looks at how the problem is affecting American children, exploring the decline of physical activity, school lunch, the demise of school recess and how marketing of unhealthy food targets children. The final segment, "Challenges," looks at the major forces driving obesity, including agriculture, economics, evolutionary biology, food marketing, racial and socioeconomic disparities, physical inactivity, American food culture, and the influence of the food and beverage industries.

The documentary is on a detailed website that answers questions that range from "What is obesity?" to "How do I know if I'm overweight or obese?"

The project is a presentation of HBO and the Institute of Medicine in association with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, with support from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation and health insurer Kaiser Permanente.

Healthy food is less expensive than junk food, study finds

Though it's widely believed that healthy food is more expensive than junk food, a new government analysis shows that does not have to be the case.

"In fact, carrots, onions, pinto beans, lettuce, mashed potatoes, bananas and orange juice are all less expensive per portion than soft drinks, ice cream, chocolate candy, French fries, sweet rolls and deep-fat fried chicken patties," reports Nanci Hellmich for USA Today.

"We have all heard that eating a healthy diet is expensive, and people have used that as an excuse for not eating a healthy diet . . . but healthy foods do not necessarily cost more than less healthy foods," said Andrea Carlson, an economist and co-author of the report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service. "The price of potato chips is nearly twice as expensive as the price of carrots by portion size."

Carlson and colleague Elizabeth Frazão analyzed national pricing data on more than 4,000 foods and ranked them according to price based on calories, weight and portion size. The foods were placed in five food groups: grains, dairy, protein, fruit and vegetables. Another category was added for unhealthy items, which did not fall into any of the other calories or were high in sugar, sodium and/or saturated fat such as cookies, desserts, granola bars and many cereals. They found:

• Given portion size, the ranking from least expensive to most expensive is: grains, dairy, vegetables, fruit, protein and less healthy foods. Protein and less healthy foods cost nearly the same.

• Meat, chicken and fish are the most expensive sources of protein but there are low-cost options like eggs and beans.

• Fruit and vegetables are lower in cost overall than unhealthy foods.

• Grains, such as bread, oatmeal, pasta and rice, are the cheapest foods no matter how the portion is measured. (Read more)

42 percent of Americans will be obese by 2030, study predicts

If trends continue, 42 percent of American adults will be obese by 2030 and about one quarter of whom will be grossly obese, a new study warns. The results are only slightly less troubling than those published four years ago, which forecast that 51 percent of the population would be obese by 2030.

Right now, 34 percent of American adults are obese and some evidence indicates obesity rates have reached a plateau. "Regardless which is correct, we still have a very serious problem," said William H. Dietz, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's obesity program. The results were discussed Monday at the "Weight of the Nation" conference in Washington, D.C.

The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, used obesity prevalence data from 1990 to 2008 to analyze trends. Information came from the widely regarded Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, but because people tend to underestimate their weight when asked on the phone, a mathematical equation was used to compensate for the shortfalls, David Brown reports for The Washington Post. (Read more)

Lessons in battling obesity can be learned from the anti-tobacco movement, but there are big differences

To make real headway in battling the obesity epidemic, lessons can be learned from the war on smoking — though the two public-health issues have certain unique challenges. Judith Graham, reporting for Kaiser Health News in collaboration with USA Today, delves into the similarities and differences.

Her piece deserves to be read in its entirety, which can be done by clicking here, but here's a summary of her analysis:

Children are central. The majority of people start using tobacco as teenagers, with one-third of kids who smoke daily set to die prematurely of tobacco-related illnesses. Likewise, overweight children are at a greater risk of a vast array of health problems, including diabetes, liver disease and obesity in adulthood.

Protecting children as at the heart of both the anti-tobacco and anti-obesity efforts. "First let's protect our children," said Dr. David Ludwig, a child-obesity expert at Harvard Medical School. 

Changing social norms is the goal. While smoking in a hospital or airplane has become inconceivable, the same shift in social norms is required to fight childhood obesity. "Our (eating and physical activity) tastes, our preferences and our behaviors are learned and can be changed," said Dr. Jeffrey Koplan, former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and vice president for global health at Emory University in Atlanta. It won't be easy, but at least "we're dealing with a population that would like to be thinner and that works in our favor."

We can't "just say no" to food. "Tobacco we can get rid of entirely," said Dr. David Katz, director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center. "But we have to eat to live and make terms with food as the enemy."

That makes fighting childhood obesity much more difficult, since the message can't be "stop, don't do this." It has to instead be "make good choices, set boundaries," which is more difficult to convey and adhere to, Graham reports.

Our biology works against us. "While smoking is highly addictive, the biological responses attached to eating food are even more deeply rooted in human evolution," Graham reports. Evolutionarily speaking, humans are "built" to eat food when it's available and "we're very good at storing calories and defending calories once we've got them," said Dr. Stephen Daniels, chair of the department of pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. 

Shame and denial are greater among the obese. A person's self-image is tightly tied to his or her body weight in a way that isn't true of smoking. That can provide a compelling reason to stop over-eating, but people don't tend to think of themselves as obese. "Obesity is seen as a pejorative term that people don't connect with," said Dr. William Dietz, director of the division of nutrition, physical activity and obesity at the CDC. "They think, 'I'm just 30 or 40 pounds overweight, but I'm not obese.'"

There are more food products available. "Tobacco is a single substance," Graham reports. "By contrast, the food and beverage industry is enormous and makes a huge array of goods that extend into every home, restaurant, convenience store, and grocery store in America."

There is no second-hand smoke equivalent. "The notion that my behavior as a smoker can have an effect on you and can make you sick was critically important in accelerating people's intolerance of smoking and their willingness to see the government take action," said Michael Eriksen, director of the Institute of Public Health at Georgia State University. "Your being obese does not affect me in the same direct way."

The role of the food industry is less clear. While Big Tobacco was able to be demonized, "with obesity (as compared to tobacco) there's a much more nuanced relationship with industry," said Dr. James S. Marks, director of the health group at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Couple loses combined 347 pounds in 2 years, pretty simply; similar success stories are always compelling

"When Art and Betty Halcomb look at each other, they still have a hard time believing how much weight they have lost," reports Nola Sizemore for the Harlan Daily Enterprise. Together, the couple has lost 347 pounds, a journey that started in April 2010.

Art weighed 384 pounds and Betty was 308. "We decided we were going to do everything we could do in a three-month period to see how much weight we could actually lose," Betty said. That included counting calories and daily exercise, which at first comprised for a half-mile of walking. Within two weeks, they were able to walk one mile.

"We did portion control with our meals, actually measuring out serving sizes," Betty said. "I was eating 1,200 calories per day and Art was eating 1,500 calories per day. We didn't limit ourselves to any certain foods. We wanted it to be a lifestyle change, not just another diet."

One of their major motivations was their daughter, Kristen Swanner, a two-time cancer survivor who has endured chemotherapy, radiation and a stem-cell transplant. To watch her "literally fight for her life and we were just throwing ours away, we felt so guilty," Betty said.

When they discovered Swanner was pregnant, after being told by doctors that she couldn't conceive, the couple had even more drive to shed the weight, knowing they were soon to be grandparents.

"Jesus says he wants us to have an abundant life," Betty said. "If we can do this, anyone can do it. Make that decision today to lose weight and live a more happier life. Don't give up — keep trying." (Read more)

Hospitals get antsy about leasing space to fast-food chains

McDonald's has space in the Cleveland Clinic. (AP photo)

While the U.S. Department of Agriculture decides what to suggest about junk food in schools, hospitals are likewise at a crossroads, with many administrators feeling conflicted about housing fast-food chains in their facilities.

At Truman Medical Center in Kansas City, the cafeteria features low-fat meals, on the other side of a wall from a McDonald's. CEO John Bluford said the golden arches send "an inconsistent message" to patients, staff and community because of the unhealthy offerings, but Truman agreed to a 25-year contract with the chain in 1992 "at a time when the financial benefit of having a stable food-service client in the hospital outweighed any potential health concerns," reports Elana Gordon for NPR.

Getting out of these contracts can be tricky. The Cleveland Clinic tried to end its agreement with McDonald's 10 years ago, but the restaurant remains in operation. "We're just going to live with it," said Bill Barum, director of hospitality and retail services. "When the contract ends, we'll have the opportunity to reexamine the space."

Of the 14,000 McDonald's in the country, there are 27 in hospitals, and officials say the restaurant's menu can be tailored to health-conscious diners.

Some hospitals have five fast-food outlets, a survey by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine found. The report's top five "worst hospital environments" housed at least one fast-food restaurant. "In this day and age, you would think a hospital might be proud enough, if not shamed enough, to cut or end these contracts with fast-food outlets," said Susan Levin, a dietitian with PCRM.

But while some hospitals are looking to end fast-food contracts, some are signing them, including the Texas Medical Center's St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital and the Medical University of South Carolina University Hospital, where Chick-fil-A is  open for business. (Read more)

Poll finds parents overwhelmingly support more nutritious school food; USDA expected to issue new guidelines

Photo by Reuters' Lucy Nicholson

Chocolate bars, Cheetos and cheesy fries may soon be a thing of the past at public schools in America, and that's fine with parents, a new poll has found.

The survey found "most people agreed the chips, soda and candy bars students buy from vending machines or school stores in addition to breakfast and lunch are not nutritious, and they support a national standard for foods sold at schools," reports Susan Heavey for Reuters.

As it did for school lunch earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is expected to release new guidelines for vending machines and à la carte sales by June, some experts say.

In Kentucky, schools are already not allowed to sell food that competes with the national school lunch and breakfast programs from the minute students arrive in the morning until 30 minutes after the last lunch period. Only water, 100 percent fruit juice, lowfat milk and any beverage that contains no more than 10 grams of sugar per serving are allowed to be sold in school vending machines, as per state mandate. There are no limits as to what food or drinks that can be sold in fundraisers.

The poll, conducted by advocacy group Kids' Safe and Healthful Foods Project, found 80 percent of the 1,010 adults surveyed said they would support nutritional standards that limit the calories, fat and sodium in such schools.

Students eat one-fifth to one-half of their daily diet at schools, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report 20 percent of American children are obese, As of 2007 in Kentucky, more than 37 percent of children were either obese or overweight, a study by the National Conference of State Legislatures shows.

A study by the National Academy of Sciences reports that about $2.3 billion worth of snack food and drinks are sold each year in schools nationwide. As such, changes might be controversial. The new guidelines for school lunch met with resistance from lawmakers, who "locked limits to french fries and counted pizza as a vegetable because it contains tomato sauce," Heavey reports.  There are concerns industry lobbyists and members of Congress could dilute the USDA proposals. (Read more)

Kids needs to cut out an average of 41 calories a day to stop gaining weight

Children and teens need to cut their food intake an average of only 41 calories a day in order to stop gaining weight, a new study has found. If they don't do that, they'll end up weighing even more than they do now — four more pounds across the board, say the researchers from  Columbia University, the Harvard School of Public Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.. (Photo: iStockphoto.com)

Without reducing consumption, more than one in five children will be obese nationwide, researchers concluded. In Kentucky, 37.1 percent of children were overweight or obese in 2007, numbers by theNational Conference of State Legislature show.

While cutting 41 daily calories is significant, that number will only stop children from getting heavier. "The federal government really wants children to be slimmer than they are now," reports Nancy Shute for NPR. In order to lower the childhood obesity rate to just 5 percent, children would have to cut an average of 120 calories a day — 33 calories for preschoolers, 149 calories for grade-schoolers, and 177 calories a day for teens.

In order to do so, teens would have to jog at least 30 minutes per day or cut out a 16-ounce soft drink.

The study's "numbers are based on population averages; individuals' experiences will be different," Shute reports. "But the numbers show that the public health world has a lot of work to do to help children keep or reach a healthy weight."

According to a nutrition chart by the American Heart Association, children should consume an average of 900 calories at age 1 and 1,000 calories at age 2. Girls should consume 1,200 calories a day from ages 4 to 8; 1,600 calories from ages 9 to 13; and 1,800 calories a day from ages 14 to 18. Boys should consume 1,400 calories from ages 4 to 8; 1,800 calories ages 9 to 13; and 2,200 calories ages 14 to 18. (Read more)

Diabetes can cause gum disease and tooth decay

Though it's commonly known that diabetes can affect organ function and eyesight, an oral-health expert points out that the disease can also cause tooth decay and gum disease.

"Diabetics with uncontrolled glucose levels tend to develop more gum disease and may lose more teeth than diabetics who have good control of their glucose levels," writes Dr. John Novak, associate director of University of Kentucky's Center for Oral Health Research, in an op-ed piece for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A high carbohydrate/sugar diet can also lead to high levels of sugar in the blood, which can hamper the way the body deals with infection, he writes. Gum disease may be the result because the gums are inflamed by the increased levels of bacteria living in the mouth.

Diabetes can also cause dry mouth, which "creates the perfect environment for the growth of bacterial plaque and for fungal infections such as thrush," he writes. To avoid these problems, Novak recommends brushing teeth and gums twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, flossing every day and using fluoride mouth wash before going to bed.

Signs of tooth decay or gum disease include tender gums that bleed easily when brushing or flossing; teeth sensitive to hot or cold temperatures; loose or broken teeth; sores, ulcers or a burning sensation in the mouth; and bad breath or a bad taste. (Read more)

Columnist wants 'healthy labels, not stealthy labels' on groceries

Research has shown shoppers spend an average of just 1 second looking at the nutrition labels on food packages, which lends credence to an argument that the labels need to be easier to digest in a short amount of time.

In January last year, the Grocery Manufacturers Association said its members would soon start adding nutrition information to the front of packages showcasing the quantity of calories, saturated fats, sodium, sugar and nutrients inside, writes Ezekiel J. Emanuel in a column for The New York Times: "Not much happened until September, when the GMA announced that 'Facts up Front' would be the theme for the initiative, and began a second public relations blitz about the forthcoming labels."

But since then, nothing has changed. Emanuel points to failed negotiations between the GMA and the federal government that happened in fall and early winter of 2010 in which the Food and Drug Administration wanted calories, salts, sugars and saturated fats put on the front of labels. The GMA was amenable to the idea, but wanted to also post positive information about vitamins and minerals. The government balked, and negotiations fell through.

But the GMA "knew it had to do something, or risk a more stringent label rule in the future," Emanuel writes. "So it announced its own voluntary label." That label will be flawed, Emanuel argues, because "There is no reason to include positive information on Vitamin C or fiber along with the crucial information on fats, salt and calories. A lack of fiber doesn't lead to the same health crisis as an overdose of salt. And including so many facts results in information overload, diluting the label's impact. A cynic might say that is precisely what the GMA wants."

Walmart has responded by creating its own symbol system called "Great for You," which Emanuel says is a step in the right direction, "but if every company and grocer goes the independent Walmart way, we could end up with many different, confusing icons." (Read more)

Kids are still eating too much sugar, regardless of parents' income, and they're getting most of it at home

By Tara Kaprowy
Kentucky Health News

American children's sugar consumption is down, but kids are still eating too much sugar, and they are getting most of it at home.

So says a new study from the National Center for Health Statistics, which also found parent income is not playing a part in how much sugar kids are consuming. "We found that all kids are eating a lot of added sugars," said Cynthia Ogden, the study's co-author and an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (One study found kids in low-income families are drinking more juice than recommended, however.)

The study found sugar consumption has dropped to 17 percent of total caloric intake, from 22 percent, but 17 percent is still well higher than federal guidelines, which say total discretionary calories, including added sugar and solid fat, should account for only 5 to 15 percent of total daily caloric intake.

Sugar consumption may have declined because kids are consuming less sugar when they're not at home, thanks to bans or limits on sugary drinks at schools, said Dr. Wendy Slusser, an associate clinical professor of medicine at the Mattel Children's Hospital at the University of California. Kentucky has such a ban.

Most of the sugar is coming from food, not beverages, Linda Carroll reports for MSNBC. About 16 percent of kids' calorie intake comes from "added sugars," such those added to breads, cakes, jams, chocolate and ice cream. Those numbers do not include sugars that naturally occur in food, such as in fruit or fruit juice.

Going forward, the goal is to address how parents are feeding their children. "This is an opportunity for families," Slusser said. "There are estimates now that we could shift children's weights back to 1970s levels if we could just take 350 calories out of a kid's diet each day."

One way to do so is using water to replace sports drinks and those with 10 percent fruit juice. Giving kids Cheerios rather than Honey Nut Cheerios — or any cereal that's lower in sugar — also helps. Reading nutrition labels, avoiding processed foods and planning ahead for healthy snacks and nutritious dinners can also solve the problem. "Once there's a routine, parents can integrate healthier foods into their children's diets," Slusser said. "When you're always eating on the fly, you end up eating too many processed foods." (Read more)

Kentucky Health News is a service of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, based in the School of Journalism and Telecommunications at the University of Kentucky, with support from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky.

USDA launches online tool to link farmers with nearby consumers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has unveiled its newest tool to promote local food systems, an online instrument that lets viewers see what local and regional food projects are under way in their area and read case studies, watch videos and see pictures from the field.

The "Food Compass" is the latest effort in the "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" project, meant to expand the number of small, local farmers and ranchers who serve their communities. An interactive map lets viewers see USDA-supported projects related to local food systems in place across the country. That includes information about access to local meals, careers in agriculture and access to healthy food.

The written section includes stories about local food system projects, whether that pertains to farm-to-school, farm-to-hospital and farm-to-institution programs; local meat processing; hoophouses; urban farms; organic farms; and school gardens. Readers can see how people are putting their USDA funds to work to connect to their communities.

The compass notes that buying and selling food at the local, rather than mass consumer, level is a growing trend. In 2011, more than 85 percent of customers asked by the National Grocers Association said they chose to shop at a grocery store based in part on whether it carries food grown from local producers. More than 2,000 schools across the country have farm-to-school programs, and more than 7,000 American cities and towns have farmers' markets. The growing trend is a positive thing since it is "spurring job growth, keeping more farmers on the land and more wealth in rural communities," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. To view the compass, click here.

Webinar on local food projects is set for 2 p.m. Wednesday

An online tool that features the local and regional food projects in the works across the country, as well as case studies that show successful partnerships between producers, businesses and communities, will be unveiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in a webinar at 2 p.m. tomorrow.

The "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" compass is an interactive document and map. During the webinar, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan will discuss the instrument, as well as how local and regional food systems make money for local farmers, ranchers and food entrepreneurs. They will also discuss how responsible food systems increase the number of farms in the country and expand access to healthy food.

Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food was launched in September 2009. The initiative is meant to coordinate USDA resources and expertise on locally grown food.

To watch the webinar via live streaming, click here. Participate live by asking questions on Twitter to @usda and using the hash tag #KYF2. (Read more)

Convenience, not expense, is making us avoid eating fruits, vegetables and other non-processed foods

A lack of convenience, not a high price, is the major obstacle to getting people to eat more fruit and vegetables, a study published in the journal Public Health Nutrition has found. The study analyzed the fruit and vegetable consumption in six low-income, mostly minority neighborhoods in Chicago.

"Participants who agreed that they had 'convenient access to quality' produce were more than twice as likely to eat the FDA-recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables," Sarah Kliff reports for The Washington Post. "Those who reported high cost as a barrier to the consumption of produce ended up eating just as much as those who didn't." (Post photo above by Barbara Damrosch)

The study seems to support New York Times columnist Mark Bittman's assertion that Americans are skipping nutritious food because it takes much more work to prepare, not because it's too expensive. "It's cooking that's the real challenge," he writes in a September 2011 column. "The core problem is that cooking is defined as work, and fast food is both a pleasure and a crutch." (Times photo by Daniel Borris)

Contributing to the problem, Bittman argues, is the addictive qualities of fast food and processed food: physically addictive, as a study by the Scripps Research Institute shows, and mentally addictive. Bittman cites David A. Kessler, former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and author of The End of Overeating, who said manufacturers created food that was "energy-dense, highly stimulating and went down easy. They put it on every street corner and made it mobile, and they made it socially acceptable to eat anytime and anyplace. They created a food carnival, and that's where we live. And if you're used to self-stimulation every 15 minutes, well, you can't run into the kitchen to satisfy that urge."

The answer is in changing mindsets, Bittman writes, and getting "people to see cooking as a joy rather than a burden, or at least as part of a normal life." That takes education and changing the environment, which, he points out, has been done with tobacco. Cultural change can happen by celebrating whole foods, he writes. Political action would mean limiting "the marketing of junk; forcing its makers to pay the true costs of production; recognizing that advertising for fast food is not the exercise of free speech but behavior manipulation of addictive substances; and making certain that real food is affordable and available to everyone. The political challenge is the more difficult one, but it cannot be ignored." (Read more)

New federal rules on vending machines in schools are expected in the next few weeks

With new lunch standards set to kick in by next school year, the Obama administration is looking at its next target in the school food landscape: vending machines. New guidelines are expected to be released in the coming weeks "for foods that children can buy outside the cafeteria," reports Ron Nixon of The New York Times. Kentucky already has some rules in place, may get stronger as a result of the new guidelines. (NYT photo by Kirsten Luce)

Students eat from one-fifth to one-half of their daily diet at schools, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report 20 percent of American children are obese. As of 2007 in Kentucky, more than 37 percent of children were either obese or overweight, a study by the National Conference of State Legislatures shows. The administration wants to ensure that students eat what is good for them and avoid becoming overweight, Nixon reports, but there is strong pushback from the food and beverage industries.

A study by the National Academy of Sciences reports that about $2.3 billion worth of snack food and drinks are sold each year in schools nationwide. Schools have a stake in the fight as well, with candy sold in fundraisers often used to help pay for sports, music and arts programs. In Kentucky, the changeover to water, lowfat milk and fruit juices caused a downturn in revenue from the machines, but in most cases it appears to have rebounded to earlier levels.

The forthcoming guidelines are unknown, but officials predict they will be similar to the changes in the school lunch program, which reduced sugar, salt and fat. Those changes were a compromise after a fight between health advocates and the food industry. Nancy Huehnergarth, executive director of the New York State Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Alliance, said she expects another fight. "I think the food and beverage industry is going to fight tooth and nail over these rules," she said.

In Kentucky, schools are not allowed to sell food that competes with the national school lunch and breakfast programs from the minute students arrive until 30 minutes after the last lunch period. Only water, 100 percent fruit juice, lowfat milk and any beverage that contains no more than 10 grams of sugar per serving are allowed to be sold in school vending machines, as per state mandate. There are no limits as to what foods or drinks that can be sold in fundraisers. (Read more)

King-size Snickers and Twix will be things of the past by 2014

King-size versions of Snickers and Twix bars will no longer be on store shelves in 2014, as their maker tries to improve the nutritional value of its products. (Photo by Candy Warehouse)

Mars Inc. will no longer sell chocolate products with more than 250 calories, Reuters reports. The giant Snickers and Twix contain a whopping 540 calories.

It's not the first time the Virginia-based maker has tried to improve its image. In 2007, "It said it would stop buying advertising time or space if more than a quarter of the audience was likely to be under 12 years old," Reuters reports.

Mars also makes M&Ms, Skittles and Juicy Fruit chewing gum, along with Uncle Ben's rice and Dove ice cream bars. (Read more)

41 Kentucky high schools receive grants for nutrition, exercise, tobacco prevention to be planned by students

More than 40 Kentucky high schools will receive grants to improve student nutrition, increase physical activity or prevent tobacco use. The "Students Taking Charge" program will have students assessing their school environment and coming up with and implementing an action plan to create healthy changes.

"We have to create programs that get our young people involved in the process and on the path to lifelong health and wellness," said Victoria Greenwell, administrator for the state Department of Public Health's Coordinated School Health program and co-chair of Kentucky Action for Healthy Kids. "If we wait until children are grown to introduce them to healthy environments or sensible eating and exercise plans, it's often too late. We have to act now to instill the values of leading a healthy lifestyle."

Just 16.7 percent of Kentucky students reported eating five servings of fruit and vegetables every day and under 40 percent of students said they had been active for an hour on five days during a week, the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found. The survey also found nearly 1 in 3 students said they'd used a tobacco product in the past 30 days.

To see which schools received a grant and for more information, click here.

Don't let food take control of your Valentine's Day!

Trying to avoid, or at least over-indulging in, chocolate and candy on Valentine's Day? Steer clear of making the day about food, experts say.

"Focus on spending quality time with your friends and loved ones," suggests Cristina Harder, a licensed dietician at the Loyola Center for Fitness. "Trying a new activity together is a great way to share time with family and friends."(VirtualChocolate.com photo)

When it comes to eating, cook at home rather than go out to a restaurant, and get some exercise, reports research-reporting service Newswise. In one hour, a person can burn:
• 200 calories walking, ballroom dancing or bowling
• 500 calories playing racquetball
• 600 calories playing tennis

If the celebration just isn't complete with some indulgence, keep track of what it is. Five Hershey's Kisses just have 100 calories, as do 30 plain M&Ms and three Dove dark chocolate hearts. "They will satisfy a sweet tooth without killing a diet," Harder said. "If you do over-indulge, just get back on track as soon as you can," Harder added. "A minor dietary mishap is only a bump in the road and should not derail your efforts." (Read more)

Trans fat levels in white adults have fallen by more than half since FDA started requiring labeling of the unhealthy food ingredient

After the Food and Drug Administration required food manufacturers to label how much trans fat is in their products, levels of the unhealthy ingredient in the bloodstream dropped by 58 percent. (Associated Press photo by Ed Andrieski)

The numbers come from a study assessing blood levels between 2000 and 2008. FDA required trans-fat labeling in 2003. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted the decline after analyzing blood drawn for the annual National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a nationally representative sample of about 5,000 people. The drop was seen in white adults; more research is being conducted to see if it also dropped in other ethnic and racial groups.

"The decline, unusually big and abrupt, strongly suggests government regulation was effective in altering a risk factor for heart disease for a broad swatch of the population," reports David Brown for The Washington Post.

Trans fat is typically used for deep-frying and as an ingredient in baked goods. One study determined "if a person increases total calorie intake 2 percent all in the form of trans fat, risk of heart attack rises by about 20 percent," Brown reports.

"Our findings provide information about the effectively of these interventions," said Hubert W. Vester, a CDC chemist who led the analysis. "This reduction is substantial progress that should lower the risk of cardiovascular disease in people." (Read more)

Certified personal trainers give tips on how to revive New Year's health resolutions or keep them going

By Tara Kaprowy
Kentucky Health News

As the resolve of New Year's resolutions fades with January passing into February, fitness experts Sheila Kalas and Laura Coombs, right, offered some useful tips for how to stay motivated about getting healthy on KET's "One to One" program with Bill Goodman last week.

The first thing, they said, is to come up with a realistic plan — and trash the one in place if it's set up for failure. "One of the things that I think is a mistake is if you jump into action in January and say, 'I'm going to get up, and I'm going to work out at 6 every morning' and you're really not a morning person. Chances are, that's going to fade," said Kalas, owner and founder of Fitness Plus in Lexington.

The trick is to come up with a plan that works, along with 10 reasons for why it's imperative to stick to it this year. "That way, you're more invested," said Coombs, a certified athletic trainer.

The cornerstones of good health are a nutritious diet and an exercise regime, which, Kalas pointed out, is unavoidable. "It's OK for you not to like exercise," she said. "But it really doesn't get you off the hook from needing to do it." As such, it's important to remove the biggest barrier that stands in the way of a fitness regime: a lack of time, which is often only a perceived barrier, and can be removed if there is a commitment to devote proper time to exercise, Kalas said.

Also important is coming up with activities that are entertaining or even practical. Coombs described a "fit deck," playing cards that each describe a different kind of exercise. The goal is to draw five cards a day and perform the exercise in turn. For those uninterested in formal exercise, Kalas suggested getting a post office box to which a person would have to walk each day to get mail. She added that one of the best tools to use is a pedometer, which allows people to monitor how much they've walked that day and alter their workouts and menus accordingly.

Coombs advises being active seven days a week for 30 minutes each day, whether that involves walking, gardening or playing with the dog. "If I only have to do something three days a week, I'll do it on Monday," she said. "Then on Tuesday, I'll be so proud of myself, I'll put it off." If the exercise doesn't get done by later in the week, the tendency is to just put it off to the following week, Coombs said. Consistency of exercise is more important than the kind of exercise being done, she said.

As for eating, both Kalas and Coombs said it's important to monitor food intake carefully, particularly when it's coupled with a new exercise regime. "Beginner exercisers reward themselves for a single bout of exercise that day," Kalas explained. That person will decide, for example, that, since they've walked on the treadmill that day, they deserve to have dessert. But then they'll decide, "I'm going to walk tomorrow so I'm going to eat more tonight," Kalas said. "A lot of time there's one bout of exercise and two rewards built in."

As for what to eat, choose items that come "from the earth that are not prepackaged," Coombs said. "We have to be sensible and stop looking for shortcuts and stop looking for magic foods and magic numbers," she said. Kalas also suggested counting calories using phone applications or referring to the book, "Eat This, Not That," which suggests swapping one food for another at restaurants in order to avoid excessive calorie intake.

To get children motivated, the best thing to do is to remove sedentary activities by setting limits on TV and computers. And it's important to start introducing the importance of fitness and nutrition while kids are still young. "If the household values healthy eating and exercise, it will trickle down to your children," Kalas said.

Ultimately, when it comes to being successful at making changes, a person needs to accept responsibility for their choices and that they're "the only person that can make it better or worse," Kalas said. "If you're going to have the French fries, the only person that's going to have to burn off the calories is you."

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Kentucky Health News is a service of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, based in the School of Journalism and Telecommunications at the University of Kentucky, with support from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky.