back-to-school guidebook

How to Build a Healthy Kid

In association with healthy kids

back to school

The Childhood-Obesity Crisis 4 A former surgeon general speaks out by david satcher Lunchroom Makeover 8 How to encourage healthy eating by claudia kalb A Chef Hits the Cafeteria 12 An interview with Kathy Gunst by claudia kalb Recess Revolution 18 Putting the fizz back in phys ed by johannah cornblatt Secrets From the NFL 26 Two football stars on staying fit by nayeli rodriguez What Do Kids Really Eat? 28 Too often, not what they should by ian yarett The Washington Post Company Katharine Graham, 1917–2001 Donald E. Graham, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer MANAGING DIRECTOR: Ann L. McDaniel CHAIRMAN: Richard M. Smith EDITOR: Jon Meacham EDITOR-at-large: Lally Weymouth

guidebook Editor Debra Rosenberg Contributors Johannah Cornblatt, Claudia Kalb, Nayeli Rodriguez, David Satcher, Ian Yarett Design Director Andrew James Capelli deputy design Director Sara McKay design Kristen Ren director of production Ignacio Kleva photo imaging Steve Walkowiak Photo Editors Michael Fodera, Michelle Molloy, James Wellford editorial production Cathy Fenlon (deputy director), Sally Atkinson, Dan Brillman, Vicko Fabris, Jean Foos, Deborah Martens, Pierre Metivier, James C. Morgan, John Ramsey, Herbert Samuels, Miguel A. Torres, Ana Zapata COPY EDITORS David Olivenbaum (chief), Andrew Cohen, Lisa DeLisle, Jacqueline F. Kurtzberg, Steve Noveck, Alessandra Rafferty, Carl Rosen, Jay Wilkins MANUFACTURING AND DISTRIBUTION Scott Bauer, Sara Boyarsky, Becky Cassidy, Kim Corrigan, Kristin Denninger, Gary Dzurenda, Mark Heeman, Michael Helldorfer, Lauren Palmieri, Damian Ross, Cintia Senmartin, Robert Serrano, Anthony Small, Lauren Thompson

cover and inside illustrations CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER by zsuzsanna ilijin Tom Ascheim CHIEF advertising OFFICER Alyson Racer U.S. publisher and senior vice president Patrick K. Hagerty chief marketing officer Angela Leaney vice president, strategy and enterprises Nick Grudin vice president of advertising services John M. Ernst

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2 back to school A Call to Action An epidemic of obesity threatens our children’s future. What we can do about it. by david satcher even in this age of google and and heart disease. Finding a solution iPads, there are some problems that must be a national imperative. Thank- technology cannot solve. One clear fully, first lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s example is the growing epidemic of Move campaign may finally be giving kids obesity in America, particularly among the problem the attention it deserves. our children. The problem is rooted Childhood obesity isn’t a new issue, healthy in our modern lifestyle—yes, perhaps but it is a worsening one. When the for some of our cutting-edge technology surgeon general’s Call to Action to

has even made it worse by creating a Prevent and Decrease Overweight action

of generation of couch potatoes. Child- and Obesity was released in 2001, hood obesity is now contributing to being overweight and obese had al-

the increase in ailments like diabetes ready reached epidemic proportions courtesy

4 back to school in this country. That report noted kids are also far more likely to become that, in 1999, some 61 percent of adults obese adults, who will eventually face were overweight or obese, and 13 a whole array of other health issues. percent of children and adolescents Luckily, there is much we can do were overweight. There were nearly to change this grim trend. We can twice as many overweight children encourage healthy lifestyles and pre- and almost three times as many vention measures that will secure overweight adolescents as there had a healthy future for America’s chil- been in 1980. A 2007–08 National dren—getting them used to good, Health and Nutrition Examination nutritious foods and regular exer- Survey revealed that an estimated 17 cise. While families, communities, percent of children and adolescents and policymakers all have a role in ages 2 to 19 were obese. Among pre- working collaboratively to eliminate school children 2 to 5 years of age, obesity, I believe that schools—I like obesity increased from 5 to 10.4 per- to call them the “great equalizers”— cent between 1980 and 2008. It rose present the best opportunity. Schools from 6.5 to 19.6 percent among 6- to are inclusive—everybody goes to 11-year-olds. And among adolescents school—and children spend 1,000 12 to 19, obesity more than tripled, hours a year there. Schools provide an increasing from 5 to 18.1 percent dur- opportunity to educate and influence ing the same period. the habits of children from all kinds Obesity in children is of particular of environments, affecting their lives concern: obese children and adoles- and the lives of their families, now and cents are more likely to be at risk for in the future. Schools can also help health problems once to target underlying faced only by adults, social problems that like cardiovascular in 2008 influence unhealthy problems and type an estimated behavior, including 2 diabetes. The inci- 17 percent of poverty, safety, vio- dence of type 2 dia- children ages 2 to lence, and the ab­- were obese betes is increasing 19 . sence of stores that among children and sell healthy food. adolescents; most of them, according My own organi­zation, Action for to the Centers for Disease Control Healthy Kids (AFHK), addresses the and Prevention, are between 10 and epidemic of overweight, ­undernour- 19 years old, obese, have a strong fam- ished, and sedentary youth by focus- ily history for type 2 diabetes, and ing on improving nutrition and phys- have insulin resistance. Even chil- ical-activity policies and practices in dren who don’t develop grown-up schools. A partnership of 60 organi- illnesses right away are at risk: these zations and government agencies that

newsweek.com 5 supports the efforts of teams—includ- Nearly 80 percent of physical- ing 14,000 volunteers—in all 50 states education teachers and parents felt and the District of Columbia, AFHK schools needed to provide more physi­ was founded in 2002 in response to cal education. Yet about half of school the surgeon general’s Call to Action administrators indicated that schools the previous year, which identified already provide enough quality daily the school environment as one of five physical education for all students. key sites of change. A 2004 AFHK report, “The Learn- Fewer than one in four parents had ing Connection: The Value of Improv- ever talked with their child’s teacher ing Nutrition and Physical Activity or principal about improving nutri- in Our Schools,” pointed out that tion or physical activity at school, even children who were physically active though most parents felt these were and ate a nutritious breakfast per- significant concerns. formed better in school. They con- centrated better; performed better A 2007 national survey conducted on standardized exams in read- by AFHK revealed that 18 percent of ing and math; were better disci- parents thought schools were doing a plined; and were much less likely to good job offering nutritious, appeal- be absent from school. In a 2008 ing foods, and only 20 percent thought report, “Progress or Promises: What’s schools offered enough physical activ- Working for and Against Healthy ity. Nearly all (96 percent) thought that Schools,” we found differing views parents play an important role in advo- of schools’ efforts to promote healthy cating for better nutrition and more behavior. physical education, yet only 24 percent had ever contacted their child’s school The nutrition, health, and public- to request improvements. health professionals surveyed cited nutrition education as the most effec- One of three elementary schools did tive strategy to help youth make not offer daily recess, and only 4 per- better food selections. A majority cent offered daily physical education. of school administrators, including Physical education actually declined superintendents, board ­members, as students progressed through school. principals, and school food-­service And most local school wellness poli- professionals, felt their schools were cies we examined did not include already doing a good job of offering goals for physical education or healthy, kid-friendly food options. physical-­education-teacher training. But some 82 percent of parents felt schools needed to work harder in Though the overall picture seems these areas. bleak, there are some bright spots in

6 back to school satcher with houston students.

our efforts to tackle childhood obe- sity. One example is Fuel Up to Play 60, a new youth program spon- sored by the National Dairy Council and the National Football League that encourages kids to eat healthy by tak- ing the right fuels—fruits and vegeta- bles, water, low-fat milk, whole-grain bread—into their bodies and to be active for at least 60 minutes a day. Action for Healthy Kids also devel- oped, in partnership with the National Football League, the first national after-school program, ReCharge! En- ­er­gizing After-School, that fully inte- will be critical to addressing this grates nutrition and physical activity complex challenge and all the barri- through teamwork-based strategies ers to healthy behavior that go with for youth in grades three to six. In it. Individuals must make healthy the last school year, AFHK reached lifestyle choices for themselves and nearly 4 million kids their families; com- in 8,000 schools in munities must make 1,100 school districts. only 18 percent changes that promote Now some 90 per- of parents thought healthful eating and schools were doing cent of schools have physical activity; and a good job offering wellness policies in­- policies must be de­- nutritious foods. tend­ed to promote vel­oped and imple- physical education mented to ensure that and model good nutrition in grades the changes take place. Working K through 12. But there is still a tre- together, we can create a healthier mendous gap between policy state- America—for all of us, but especially ments and program implementation. for our children. Concrete action can make a differ- ence: there are school districts that david satcher, M.D., Ph.D., was council have invested in carts and equip- surgeon general of the United States dairy ment to serve breakfast in class- from 1998 to 2002. He is the director of rooms, and as a result have increased the Satcher Health Leadership Institute

national the number of children receiving a and the Center of Excellence on Health of nutritious breakfast. Disparities at Morehouse School of These kinds of partnerships be- Medicine, where he is also the Poussaint-

courtesy tween schools and outside groups Satcher-Cosby professor of mental health.

newsweek.com 7 Lunchroom Makeover How schools can plant the seeds for healthy eating. by claudia kalb ten years ago, elementary-school provides meals for more than 30 mil- students in Cambridge, Mass., ate a lion children across the country every fairly typical lunch: American chop day. Those lunches, many of which suey, beef and macaroni, canned fruit are served free or at a reduced cost, are in syrup. “There were no fresh vegeta- critical to the well-being of students. bles and no whole grains,” says Dawn But they are not nearly as nutritious Olcott, a school nutritionist with the as they should be. A report sponsored Cambridge Public Health Department. by the U.S. Department of Agriculture “And dairy products were not low fat.” found that the average salt content Today, locally grown produce, in- of school lunches is almost twice the cluding fresh squash recommended level. and tomatoes, is Schools do provide a offered. A chef is cre- 42 percent of range of choices for ating nutritious re­ci­ schools fail to students, but many offer fresh fruit pes. And students are of those options are and vegetables growing fruits and high-fat, high-calorie on a daily basis. vegetables in their foods, such as french own school garden. fries and cheese- “There’s just nothing like kids plant- burgers. Almost one third of schools ing the seed and watching it come still offer whole milk, despite govern- up,” says Virginia Chomitz, a senior ment guidelines recommending non- scientist at the Institute for Com- fat or low-fat milk for children age 2 munity Health, based at the Cam- and older. And while most schools are bridge Health Alliance. “A child who meeting targets for protein and vita- wouldn’t even look at a snow pea mins, 42 percent fail to offer fresh fruit before will pop it in her mouth and or raw vegetables on a daily basis. have a new and positive experience Unhealthy eating has contributed about food.” to a childhood-obesity epidem­ic in That new and positive experience this country. One third of America’s has been missing for far too long. youth are now overweight or obese, The National School Lunch Program putting them at risk for chronic

8 back to school illnesses, including diabetes and car- a healthy, kid-friendly school lunch diovascular disease. The obesity crisis on a limited budget. Thumbs down: has alarmed public-health officials banana pudding doused in sugar. Best and propelled better nutrition into the of the bunch: pork carnitas, cole slaw spotlight. First lady Michelle Obama made with yogurt, chicken flavored has made school lunch a pillar of her with apple cider, and melon kebabs. Let’s Move initiative, launched ear- Lessons learned from the Cam- lier this year. Major food suppliers bridge initiative, which was launched have joined in, pledging to decrease in 1998, are relevant to any school dis- sugar, fat, and salt; increase whole trict in the country. First and foremost, grains; and double the amount of revolutionizing school lunch is no fruits and veggies served in school easy task. One major hurdle: adjust- meals within 10 years. On Capitol Hill, ing a food-service culture that has the Child Nutrition Reauthorization been entrenched for decades. Lunch Act, which seeks to increase meal-­ staff are used to serving canned goods reimbursement rates so schools can and reheating foods prepared else- buy higher-quality and fresher foods, where, because feeding kids quickly is making its way through the legis- and efficiently on a budget has long lature. And the push to feed students been the goal—not necessarily feeding more nutritious meals has even made them well. Chomitz and Olcott, who it to prime-time TV: in a recent Top work collaboratively through Cam- Chef episode featuring White House bridge’s Healthy Children Task Force, assistant chef Sam Kass as guest have learned that change will come judge, contestants competed to create only when school administrators make

newsweek.com 9 nutrition a top-down priority, not an fruits and vegetables, the better: a child afterthought. Chomitz learned how who picks a tomato or slices a car- low nutrition ranked when she first rot wants to eat it. So the Cambridge approached the Cambridge school team partnered with a local school-­ system about improving its lunch gardening group called City Sprouts to offerings a decade ago: the superin- create school-based gardens. Whenever tendent told Chomitz she’d never had possible, the produce grown was fea- a conversation with tured in the cafeteria a food-service staff as a fruit or vegetable member. “It never many food-service of the month. dawned on her.” staffers hadn’t School lunches can­- Fortunately, the been trained to cut not be remade in one or cook some didn t school system agreed . ’ giant leap. In Cam- know how to peel to join forces and bridge, goal No. 1 was a vegetable. hired a proactive food- simply adding fresh service manager who fruits and vegetables. was eager to support better nutrition. Next up: new dishes created with local Using funding obtained through fed- produce. In 2006 the school system eral, state, and local grants, Chomitz hired part-time chef Vin Connelly to and her team purchased fresh fruits develop tasty, kid-friendly recipes. Here and vegetables and brought them into again, the team had to be sensitive to the schools for kids to sample. Cam- longtime food staffers. “I can’t walk into bridge public schools serve a broad mix a kitchen and say, ‘Chef Vin is here—get of students: 64 percent are nonwhite out of the way,’ ” says Connelly. “A lot of and 41 percent are low income. “A lot these people have been in their job 25 of the children had never seen a whole years. Like anybody else, they’re resis- head of broccoli before in its fresh raw tant to change.” It became clear that form,” says Olcott. College students food-service members had to be actively volunteered to help, and together they involved in the process, not simply told handed out small tasting cups at caf- what to do. Bringing everyone together eteria tables and talked to the kids for a recipe demonstration turned out about each of the items. The goal was to be “totally ineffective,” says Chomitz. not just to get children excited about Instead, Olcott and Connelly had to brightly colored fruits and vegetables, meet with staff at every school indi- but also to convince food-service staff vidually to introduce them to the most that the kids would actually eat them. basic skills. Many of them hadn’t been Not only did they eat them, “they’d trained to cut or cook. Some didn’t come back for seconds and frequently know how to peel a vegetable. thirds,” says Olcott. And there was another major The more experience kids have with challenge: outdated and ill-equipped

10 back to school kitchens. When Olcott and Connelly ing it and liking it,” says Connelly. attempted to lay out how to make the The Cambridge team is realistic first recipe—a simple mix of butternut about how radically it can transform squash, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown school cafeterias. A complete revolu- sugar, and oil—they immediately tion is economically and practically noticed staff members looking at each difficult to accomplish, and the ele- other as if something was wrong. “We mentary-school menu still contains were telling them to measure out a some of the old standbys—mac and tablespoon of cinnamon,” says Olcott. cheese, spaghetti and meat sauce. But “They said, ‘We don’t have measuring options have markedly improved. spoons and cups.’ I hadn’t realized they Today kids can choose grilled-chicken didn’t have that kind of basic equip- fajitas, vegetarian chili, lentil soup, ment.” The condition of school ovens tomato-basil-mozzarella salad, and differed significantly, so the recipe roasted sweet-potato fries with cumin had to be tweaked. In one kitchen, the and chili powder. One day, after Olcott bake time was 40 minutes; in another, and Connelly encouraged staff partici- 60. “We had to work with the staff at pation, a food-service member showed each of the schools to coach them and up with her own batch of golden broth change the recipe based on what their with fresh cabbage, turnips, carrots, ovens could do,” says Olcott. butternut squash, and potatoes. “It Patience and flexibility are critical was fabulous,” says Olcott. “Marie’s to the success of lunch makeovers. Haitian Soup” is now a regular feature. It took 14 months to get Chef Vin’s Ultimately, the key to improving butternut squash on school menus. any lunch program is sustainability. Every step posed new “If the program only challenges: creating works when the chef the recipe, conduct- ‘a lot of the is in the kitchen, it ing taste tests with children had never will never be success- seen a whole head kids and finessing ful,” says Connelly. of broccoli before the mixture, find- One-on-one training in its fresh raw ing a local vendor and straightforward, form,’ says olcott. who could supply simple recipes are the 450 pounds of diced way to go. The pay- squash, getting staff up to speed in off is enormous, especially when kids their kitchens. And lunch reformers learn healthy habits early in life and must be prepared for the palates of make them part of their daily routine. children, too, who don’t always take to “I’ve had kids say, ‘I want my mom or a new food instantaneously. “You have dad to make this at home,’ ” says Con- to present it to them seven, eight, nine nelly. “I think that’s a testament that it’s times for them to be comfortable try- working. That makes me feel great.”

newsweek.com 11 to examine that and, with the budgettheexaminewithand,that to iscanned. planfrozenMyorarebuy This theyfoods the tricky. lunch?veryof lot is A school about What ence to writing projects. into their curriculum, from art to sci greenhouse the work to teachers the cooking tothekids.The goal istoget and education food teach to tember and Sep- in classroom the into fall, going I’m this early up greenhouse garden the and get to hoping I’m plans? immediate your are What everything had changed. wantagreenhouse?” Within amonth you “Do school’ssaid,landscape the redesigning is who architect scape school. The next thing I know, a land elementary local my at principal the House?White the from What happened when you got home author newsweek A communities. their in schools adopt O I 12 n early June, first lady first June, early n fterward, aa re hnrd o ces to chefs of hundreds urged bama back to school to back K ty us tle with talked Gunst athy ’s M C aine chef and cookbookand chef aine laudia K alb. I contactedI M ichelle - - school school lunch on the menu. chef A Beyond HotDogs

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dan gair—blind dog photo A Fitness Revolution Obesity killed her brother. Now Pamela Green-Jackson is helping schools close the phys-ed gap. by johannah cornblatt it was after midnight when They painted the walls the school Pamela Green-Jackson sat up in colors—burgundy and white—and bed in her home in Albany, Ga., and purchased Dance Dance Revolution, woke her husband. She told him that a videogame that allows players to a dream had inspired her to start an keep track of how many calories they exercise and nutrition program for burn in “workout mode.” Green-Jack- kids. “He told me to go back to sleep, son passed out sign-up sheets for the that I couldn’t save the world,” Green-­ fitness program, which would take Jackson says. “I said, why not?” place after school, and 180 kids put Sure enough, Green-Jackson got out down their names. of bed the next morning and immedi- It was the winter of 2003, and Green- ately began fundraising for her proj- Jackson’s timing was eerie. Right after ect, which she named Youth Becoming she and her team of volunteers began Healthy (YBH). Within a month, she renovating the classroom, her obese had received $30,000 in grants. A team 43-year-old brother, Bernard Green, family

of volunteers helped to turn one of the developed uncontrolled diabetes. Less classrooms at a local middle school than a month later, he died weighing

into a fitness center. They brought in a 427 pounds. The loss instilled Green- jackson

of mix of new and used equipment: four Jackson with an even greater sense of bikes, four treadmills, one Universal urgency, and she decided to quit her job

machine, an elliptical, and benches. at the Albany Herald to focus full time courtesy

18 back to school green-jackson with bernard. on helping children avoid the same physical activity and academic fate as her brother. “People need to achievement. “If kids are not healthy break bad habits while they’re young and well, they’re not going to be pro- and not wait until they’re 40 years old,” ductive and able to use whatever Green-Jackson says. Today, YBH has other kinds of skills fitness centers in all six of Albany’s they have,” she says. public middle schools, as well as three With dangerously low elementary schools. standards for physi- Grassroots projects like YBH have cal education in most become increasingly common across states, YBH serves as the country as communities search for a model for communi- new and innovative ways to battle the ties that want to encourage nation’s childhood-obesity epidem- kids—in a fun and healthy way—to ic. Since the passage of the No Child move more and eat better. Left Behind Act in 2001, most schools The need for physical and nutri- have focused their time and financial tion education is particularly strong in re­sources on test subjects—reading, Green-Jackson’s home state, which has writing, and math—at the expense the third-highest rate of youth obesity of activities like PE, says Judy Young in the country. (Mississippi and Arkan- of the American Alliance for Health, sas rank first and second, respectively, Physical Education, Recreation and according to a 2009 report from the Dance. Only one state—Alabama— Trust for America’s Health and the meets the recommended 150 minutes Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.) per week of PE in In Georgia, kids are elementary school required to take PE in and 225 minutes per a team of elementary school but week in middle and volunteers helped not in middle school. to turn one high school, accord- In fact, only 55 per- classroom into a ing to the 2010 Shape cent of middle-school fitness center. of the Nation Report: students in Georgia Status of Physical meet the Centers for Education in the USA, released by the Disease Control and Prevention re- National Association for Sport and quirements for recommended physi- Physical Education and the American cal activity, but 15 percent are obese, Heart Association. Young says according to the Georgia Department that proposed revisions to No of Community Health. Child Left Behind, which are That lack of exercise, combined with in the works in many offices easy access to unhealthy food and on Capitol Hill, underscore drinks, is making kids sick, says Dr. the correlation between Tanya Smith, a pediatrician in Albany

newsweek.com 19 four-week camp last summer. In order to attend the camp, which is funded through donations, children must be and the president referred by a pediatrician and have at of YBH. Smith says she has seen least one chronic disease related to obe- children as young as 4 with high blood sity. So far, the results have been prom- pressure and full-blown diabetes. ising. Green-Jackson estimates that Many overweight preteen girls come since 2003, participants in YBH have to her with menstrual issues, and one collectively lost thousands of pounds. of her young obese patients had such That kind of success doesn’t come severe sleep apnea that he needed a easily. Green-Jackson cites the cost of tracheotomy. Obese children are at equipment and qualified instructors, increased risk for a host of other medi- as well as parental transportation to cal conditions, including hypertension, and from fitness centers after school asthma, and low self-esteem. “These hours, as the biggest obstacles. “One kids are having issues that they have no person can’t do this alone,” she says. business having,” Green-Jackson says. She recommends gaining the support And the price is high: according to the of the school board, hospitals, pedia- Georgia Department of Community tricians, and other willing volunteers. Health, obesity costs Georgia an esti- “I’ve seen 20 other programs right here mated $2.4 million a year (or $250 per in this city we live in start and fail over Georgian each year). the years,” says Green-Jackson’s hus- YBH aims to reach children where band, Larry, who became a certified they spend the majority of their time: youth trainer and now helps his wife on school grounds. Now in its sev- run YBH. “We haven’t failed because enth year, YBH offers a range of kid- my wife stayed true to what she started. requested activities, including hip-hop She continued to focus on the kids.” dance, martial arts, weightlifting, and One of those kids is 14-year-old walking clubs after school hours. In Malik Thomas, who, at nearly 400 fact, YBH fitness instructors encour- pounds, sometimes struggles just to age all the program’s participants to walk. Green-Jackson spotted Malik keep track of their total daily steps and his mother, Karen, at Walmart using a pedometer or step counter one day and approached them to tell (every 10,000 steps equals five miles, them about YBH. “The first which is the goal for the day). YBH time that I met her, I told also brings in nutritionists to teach her she was just a god- kids about making better food choices send to me,” Karen says. and how to read labels. After opening “Her brother had gone fitness facilities in nine schools in Al- through the same thing. I bany, YBH also started offering a free could talk to her, and I cried.

20 back to school She cried with me.” The Thomas fam- aged Warren, who will be a high-school ily soon began participating in YBH, senior this fall, to launch Youth in meeting with a nutritionist and several Action for Healthy Lifestyles, a stu- other families twice a week. The nutri- dent-run program that aims to educate tionist gave out healthy recipes and kids in Albany about the importance of even distributed a prize to the family physical activity and healthy eating. It that lost the most weight. (“That wasn’t brings together about 60 people ages 5 us,” Karen admits.) to 25 every weekend to participate in a For families like the Thomases, YBH range of physical activities—including has become a reliable source of both aerobics, softball, jump-roping, soccer, physical and emotional support. Malik and volleyball—at a local park, school, lost nearly 20 pounds or convention center. at the YBH camp last Warren’s staff now summer and, even the program includes 10 teenagers though he’s in high offers hip-hop who received train- school now, he still dance, martial arts, ing from the Dough- weightlifting uses YBH facilities to , erty County Health and walking clubs. exercise after school. Department and who “I’m just hoping that advise other students Malik can be normal and do some of on nutritious eating. Green-Jackson the things that regular-size kids can continues to serve as a mentor to War- do,” Karen says. Green-Jackson, who ren. “She’s been a backbone to my pro- always calls to check on Malik if he gram,” Warren says. misses a workout session, continues In the future, Green-Jackson would to play a key role in reaching that goal. like to make it easier for kids to eat “She’s very motivating,” Karen says. well both on and off school grounds. Green-Jackson inspired one student Serving a nutritious breakfast in the not only to lose weight, but also to classroom would be a great place to launch a health and wellness program start, she says. Green-Jackson also of her own. Jasmine Warren enrolled in has some innovative ideas for the YBH in the sixth grade, when she was hours after the last bell rings: one day, 11 years old and weighed 153 pounds. she would like YBH to take mobile After a year of running on the tread- fruit and vegetable stands into low- mill, biking, and doing aerobics, she income areas. There, she envisions shed 35 pounds. “It was fun,” Warren launching gardening programs to says. “The program was a big success teach children how to grow their own for me.” Warren says that Green- fruit and vegetables. “My wife is a big Jackson has made a “wonderful dreamer,” says Larry. For all those difference” in their community. she’s inspired so far, that is turning Indeed, Green-Jackson encour- out to be a very good thing indeed.

newsweek.com 21 Throw Away the Junk Food Two NFL superstars share their secrets about exercise and healthy eating. by nayeli rodriguez

What are the easiest ways to build and what you know, so it’s all about fitness into a daily routine? learning responsibility and great hab- jones-drew: Going outside for a its. I had a higher metabolism when I walk and talking, a pickup game of was young, so the things I’m used to basketball or kickball; just whatever eating, now that I’m older, my body’s it is that you do, go outside and do it. not burning them in the same way. Instead of getting a ride from school, What I’m doing now is re-teaching walk home. Or take a bike. Swimming myself, trying to get going the right is a great way to get exercise, too; it’s way. I wish I’d started eating healthy the best way, actually, and it’s some- earlier because then I’d be used to it. thing people do for recreation, too. Do you have any good tips on how to How can healthy teens positively eat healthy during the day? Always influence their peers’ fitness? Chal- carry fruit. It helps your body and lenge your friends, and encourage uses enzymes to help your body break them to come outside. Even if you down what you’ve already eaten. Even can’t get them to eat healthy, if you McDonald’s sells fruit, and it’s always exercise with them you’re doing them good to snack on those because it fills a favor. you up right away, it’s not putting a lot in your stomach, and it helps break If you exercise, can you pay less down everything else as well. attention to what you eat? You really You don’t always have to eat want to be doing both. You’re always the exact perfect meal, but having going to go back to your foundation fruits and vegetables in your diet will help out a bunch. I like fruits like nectarines, pine- Maurice Jones-DREW, apples, and man- running back for the gos. And I’m a big Jacksonville Jaguars broccoli fan—you can’t knock it till you try it! al messerschmidt—getty images (2) takes a friend; ask a friend to help help to friend a ask it friend; a takes Sometimes that. about ciplined - dis be to lot a takes their It everything. help healthy? eat students friends can How get likefruit, or grapes apples. but that, with wrong there’snothing lot of water. And if you want a a snack, Drink night. at o’clock 8 after eat to not Try habits. eating good to have easier it makes that and things, certain buy to not parents your Ask healthy. eat to easier it makes it ity, If food. you don’t have the accessibil choices? eating healthy making to comes it students when start should Where day. all Xbox playing their on well couch on their of sitting own eat instead to how on edge knowl their apply and outside get to kids the to up really it’s healthy, eat to how on students educate that programs school away taking omy econ the with now And problem. obesity an with dealing are them of third A kids. nation’s same our for The goes eat. you what watch to ward: Why is eating healthy so important?

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73 percent of the 71 percent of the recommended dairy. recommended But 31 percent of milk intake meats and beans. is in the form of whole or But 33 percent of those are in 2 percent milk. Choose low- the form of sandwiches and fat or fat-free milk products burgers. Choose lean meats, instead, and make sure to fish, and poultry­—baked, find other sources of calcium broiled, or grilled rather than if you don’t consume milk. fried—and try to eat beans, nuts, and seeds, as opposed to just beef. 57 percent of the recommended oils. But 28 percent of those oils 45 percent of the are in the form of corn-based recommended fruits. salty snacks and potato But 53 percent of chips. It’s best to get your those are in the form fats from fish, nuts, and of juice. It’s better to vegetable oils, while minimize consumption minimizing consumption of of fruit drinks, which solid (saturated or trans) fats are high in sugar. like butter or margarine.

44 percent of the recommended vegetables. But 22 percent of those vegetables are in the 118 percent of the form of fries and potato recommended grains. chips. Stay away from fried food when possible, But 27 percent of those and eat more green and grains are in the form of orange vegetables. sandwiches, burgers, and pizza. More whole grains like brown rice or whole-wheat bread would be a better choice.

sources: institute of medicine, 28 back to school u.s. department of agriculture