Lifestyle choices made at early ages have a direct impact on adult health. Students need to learn about healthy lifestyle choices and to avoid behaviors that have an adverse impact on adult health. Healthy eating and physical activity are important life skills that help children grow and prevent them from developing health problems, such as obesity, later in life. Obesity in youth often carries over into adulthood contributing to the development of many chronic diseases including heart disease and diabetes. A critical need to address good nutrition, physical activity, and other healthy lifestyle choices exists because among American kids:
- Only 2% meet all recommendations of the Food Guide Pyramid.
- 16% do not meet ANY of the recommendations of the Food Guide Pyramid.
- Less than 15% of school children eat the recommended servings of fruit.
- Less than 20% eat the recommended servings of vegetables.
- About 25% eat the recommended servings of grains.
- Only 30% consume the recommended milk group servings.
- About two-thirds eat more fat than is recommended.
Teachers need additional resources to increase nutrition knowledge and improve eating skills of elementary school students. The Body Adventure can help meet these needs.
