Increasing The Convenience Of Fruit May Increase Consumption In School Cafeterias

Previous studies and surveys have shown that kids love to eat fruit in ready-to-eat bite-sized pieces, yet in most school settings, the fruit is served whole, which could be the cause that children are taking fruits but not eating them. Most people believe that children avoid fruit because of the taste and allure of alternative packaged snacks. A study by Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab researchers Brian Wansink, David Just, Andrew Hanks, and Laura Smith decided to get to the bottom of why children were avoiding their fruit. Could, perhaps, increasing the convenience of fruit increase consumption?

To address this question, researchers conducted a pilot study in eight elementary schools within the same district. Each school was given a commercial fruit slicer and instructed to use it when students requested apples. The fruit slicer cut the fruit into six pieces and the process took three to four seconds. Results from interviews conducted with students during this pilot indicated they dislike eating fruit for two main reasons: for younger students, who might have braces or missing teeth, a large fruit is too inconvenient to eat; for older girls, it is un-attractive-looking to eat such a fruit in front of others. Initial results showed fruit sales increased by an average of 61%, when the fruit was sliced.

To confirm this finding, six middle schools in this same district were added to the study. Three of the schools were given fruit slicers, while the other three continued normal cafeteria operations to act as a control. Fruit slices were placed in cups in two of the three schools and on a tray in the third school. To assess actual consumption, trained field researchers were assigned to every school to record how much of the apple was wasted by counting the number of slices thrown away by each student.

Results showed that apple sales in schools with fruit slicers increased by 71% compared to control schools. More importantly, researchers found that the percentage of students who ate more than half of their apple increased by 73%, an effect that lasted long after the study was over.

This study shows that making fruit easier to eat encourages more children to select it and to eat more of it. With an initial investment of just $200, fruit slicers constitute a means for school cafeterias not only to encourage fruit consumption among students but also to prevent food waste!

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

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Cook With Katie Lee! Guilt-Free Guacamole

Slice it all the way around, then twist halves apart. Strike a sharp knife into the pit and turn the wedged blade to pop it out. Nervous you might whack your fingers? Hold the avocado in a towel.

I trade some avocado for steamed asparagus. When you put it all in a blender, you get the same creamy texture, minus about 185 calories and 17 grams of fat. It's kind of genius.

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Cook With Katie Lee! Easy Dinner for Four

You'll want them to be ready to go when your wok or skillet is hot. Cut thin, uniform slices and they'll cook up quickly and evenly. Believe it or not, a really sharp knife is safest (it slices more smoothly). Always tuck fingertips under when you hold the food.

Before you sauté the veggies, put canola oil in a spray bottle and spritz the pan instead of pouring the oil from its original container. That way, you use less. Two spritzes equals about 1/4 teaspoon oil, so you'll need about four sprays total in this recipe.

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Lazy Girl's Guide to Throwing a Party

Whether you're having buds over for a Sunday football game or a Mardi Gras rager, there's a lot to think about: how to decorate, what to wear, and, often the biggest headache of all, what to serve.

Once you're a few years out of college it's time to ditch the red Solo cups and Ruffles. While you don't have to go totally Stepford-hostess on your friends if that's not your style, having some hot and cold bites around will go a long way. And no problem if you're not really a cook. Choose a few that will appeal to the masses (cough cough, dudes) but don't require more than a few stirs on the stovetop if you want to steer clear of the oven. The bonus? My picks won't totally send anyone's healthy 2013 resolutions down in flames.

• Popcorn. Good news! You don't have to load it with butter to enjoy. I reach for Quinn Popcorn; it's microwavable, about 180 calories per serving and comes in four yummy flavors like Maple & Sea Salt and Parmesan and Rosemary. For pre-popped, try Good Health Half Naked,, only 120 calories per serving.

• Tortilla Chips: Try Food Should Taste Good or Way Better Sprouted. Both lines boast a handful of flavors (kimchi, anyone?) and good-for-you ingredients like flax and quinoa.

• Dips. If you're opting for pre-made salsa, hummus and guac, make sure to review the nutritional labels for calorie counts, and fat and sodium content.

• Shrimp Cocktail. Low-fat and low-cal, practically the perfect party food.

• Jars of Olives. Or, if you're feeling all Martha, a mixed pint from the grocery store olive bar.

• Beans. High in protein and fiber (so filling!), these can be added to store-bought chili, made into hummus from scratch (not as hard as it sounds), or quickly mixed together in a room-temperature three-bean salad (just add olive oil, diced pepper and red onion, and seasoning and you're good to go.)

• Crudité. Veggies don't have to be boring, or green. In addition to celery sticks, try cucumber, carrots, cherry tomato, yellow squash, orange peppers and even asparagus (this you'll want to briefly steam).

• Chicken Wings. You'll have to (gasp!) get friendly with the oven. Bell&Evans Buffalo-Style Chicken Wings are low-fat (less than one gram per serving) and 170 calories per three pieces. Heat for 18–20 minutes, turning once, and you're done.

• Sweet Potato Fries. At 140 calories and 5 grams of fat per 12 pieces, frozen Alexia Sweet Potato Julienne Fries are a good alternative to fatty frites.

Carolyn Brown is a nutritionist at Foodtrainers and holds a masters in clinical nutrition from New York University. She has nutrition experience teaching at New York City Greenmarkets and working at a private school in Manhattan, and contributes regularly to WebMD in addition to Health.com, CBS News and New York Daily News.

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Yoga Fitness

The word Yoga comes from ancient Indian philosophy, it literally means union, and in this context refers to the union of the individual's soul with the universal. Yoga fitness is the ultimate fitness attained through the practice of Yoga.

Yoga is the art of meditation aimed at training a human body and soul consciously for a state of perfect spiritual insight, harmony and tranquility. Yoga fitness is basically achieved through the three paths- the path of actions, knowledge and devotion. Though yoga is always popularly recognized with fitness and health concerns, the art of Yoga hardly leaves any aspect of human health untouched! Be it health, weight loss, devotion, concentration, spiritual enlightenment, ego-shedding or beauty, yoga is effective in each of them. Many famous personalities in the health and beauty industry swear on the names of Yoga fitness.

Yoga Fitness: The Real Aura Of Beauty

Yoga fitness is a beautiful art that brings a perfect blend of physical strength and gracefulness in your life. Also, the beauty and health attained through Yoga fitness is not an artificial and temporary achievement like cosmetic surgery and other such means. Yoga fitness regime helps you lose all the flab in a right manner to the right extent. Apart from this the enlightenment achieved through yoga brings a shine of confidence over one's face. Yoga fitness regime also acts as a stress buster which is in itself a very wonderful method to avoid ageing. The flexibility attained through Yoga fitness regime also makes one feel good and thus look good.

The first and foremost principle of a Yoga fitness regime is that do not do the asana if it is not comfortable and does not make you feel good and relaxed. Thus yoga through its asana like Sukhasna and Shavasana aims to provide complete relaxation to your body.

Yoga fitness regime helps you gain physical fitness, helps in the healthy maintenance of mind and body. It also acts in removal of toxins from the body and increases flexibility of your body making you look younger.

 Once you begin a Yoga fitness regime it becomes a part of your lifestyle and gives you energy, positivity and zestfulness.

Yoga fitness regime also helps improve the efficiency of the immune system. Through regular Pranayams i.e. breathing exercises, you can easily avoid little daily problems of health by build your immunity. Yoga is equally active in thyroid and weight loss leading to perfect shaping of the body and thus making you healthy as well as beautiful.

The perfect oxygen dose which we get through various Yoga Fitness Asanas and Mudras also helps in skin glow.

Regularly following Yoga fitness program brings contentment in your life which reflects on your mind and body.

 A good Yoga fitness regime helps you in delaying ageing. A regular yoga practitioner remains young and active for quite longer than others who do not practice yoga.

Guiding Healthier Behavior While Preserving Choices - Libertarian Paternalism And School Lunches

The term 'libertarian paternalism' is a peculiar phrase because it invokes feelings about two seemingly contradictory philosophies. Yet, as a principle of the behavioral sciences, this phrase actually implies gentle guidance, without force.
Recently, the USDA passed regulations designed to make school lunches more nutritious. Schools participating in the National School Lunch Program are required to increase whole grain offerings, cap the fat of milk at 1% for white and non-fat for flavored, and ensure that students take either a fruit or a vegetable with their purchased lunch. Unfortunately, forcing behavior jeopardizes the potential to accomplish the most important goal of improving children's diets. After all, it's not nutrition until it's eaten!

Staying true to the meaning of libertarian paternalism, Cornell University researchers Andrew Hanks, David Just and Brian Wansink conducted a field study in two of high school cafeterias to test whether low- and no-cost environmental changes could lead children to take and eat healthier foods. Under the name, "Smarter Lunchrooms Makeover," they tested multiple small changes such as making fruits and vegetables more attractive, convenient, and normative, all simple applications of libertarian paternalism.

After the "makeover" was implemented, students were 13% more likely to take fruits and 23% more likely to take vegetables. These are very encouraging results, but selection is only half of the battle!

To check the consumption of the fruits and vegetables selected, Hanks, Just and Wansink recorded whether food items were completely eaten, half eaten or not eaten at all. They found that students not only took more fruits and vegetables, but actual consumption increased by 18% for fruits and by 25% for vegetables. They also found that after the makeover the percentage of kids eating a whole serving of fruit increased by 16% and by 10% for vegetables.

These small changes, based on the principle of libertarian paternalism, cost three hours of time and less than $50 to implement. Evidence from the results demonstrates that this "makeover" not only preserves choice but also can 'nudge' children toward healthier behaviors that they can carry with them into adulthood, contributing to the fight against current childhood obesity trends!

Furthermore, these simple changes could also be effective in the cafeterias of other organizations, including hospitals, companies, and retirement homes, as well as within the walls of your very own home.
Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our nutrition / diet section for the latest news on this subject. Hanks, A. S., Just, D. R., & Wansink, B. (2013). Smarter Lunchrooms can Address New School Lunchroom Guidelines and Childhood Obesity. Journal of Pediatrics, 162: 867-9
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Even Organic Foods Not Stored, Prepared Or Cooked In Plastic Containers Can Contain Phthalates And Bisphenol A

While water bottles may tout BPA-free labels and personal care products declare phthalates not among their ingredients, these assurances may not be enough. According to a study published February 27 in the Nature Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, people may be exposed to these chemicals in their diets, even if their meals are organic and foods are prepared, cooked and stored in non-plastic containers. And children may be most vulnerable.
"Current information we give families may not be enough to reduce exposures," said Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana, lead author on the study and an environmental health pediatrician in the University of Washington School of Public Health and at Seattle Children's Research Institute. She is an assistant professor of pediatrics at the UW School of Medicine and an attending physician at Harborview Medical Center's Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit.
Phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) are synthetic endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Previous studies have linked prenatal exposure to phthalates to abnormalities in the male reproductive system. Associations have also been shown between fetal exposure to BPA and hyperactivity, anxiety, and depression in girls.
The researchers compared the chemical exposures of 10 families, half who were given written instructions on how to reduce phthalate and BPA exposures, handouts developed by the national Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units, a network of experts on environmentally related health effects in children. For five days the other families received a local, fresh, organic food catered diet that was not prepared, cooked or stored in plastic containers
When the researchers tested the urinary concentrations of metabolites for phthalates and BPA, they got surprising results. The researchers expected the levels of the metabolities to decrease in those adults and children eating the catered diet.
Instead, the opposite happened. The urinary concentration for pthalates were 100-fold higher than the those levels found in the majority of the general population, The comparison comes from a study conducted by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a program of studies managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States. The concentrations were also much higher for children as compared to the adults.
Then, the researchers tested the phthalate concentrations in the food ingredients used in the dietary intervention. Dairy products - butter, cream, milk, and cheese - had concentrations above 440 nanograms/gram. Ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper had concentrations above 700 ng/g, and ground coriander had concentrations of 21,400 ng/g.
"We were extremely surprised to see these results. We expected the concentrations to decrease significantly for the kids and parents in the catered diet group. Chemical contamination of foods can lead to concentrations higher than deemed safe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency," said Sathyanarayana.
Using the study results, the researchers estimated that the average child aged three to six years old was exposed to 183 milligrams per kilogram of their body weight per day. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recommended limit is 20 mg/kg/day.
"It's difficult to control your exposure to these chemicals, even when you try," said Sathyanarayana. "We have very little control over what's in our food, including contaminants. Families can focus on buying fresh fruits and vegetables, foods that are not canned and are low in fat, but it may take new federal regulations to reduce exposures to these chemicals."
Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our nutrition / diet section for the latest news on this subject. The other researchers in the study included Garry Alcedo (Seattle Children's Research Institute), Brian E. Saelens and Chuan Zhou (UW Department of Pediatrics, Seattle Children's Research Institute), Russell L. Dills and Jianbo Yu (UW Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences) and Bruce Lanphear (BC Children's Hospital and Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada).
The study was funded through the Center for Ecogenetics and Environmental Health in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences in the UW School of Public Health. A grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health provides major support for the center.
The paper is titlted, "Unexpected results in a randomized dietary trial to reduce phthalate and bisphenol A exposures."
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University of Washington. "Even Organic Foods Not Stored, Prepared Or Cooked In Plastic Containers Can Contain Phthalates And Bisphenol A." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 28 Feb. 2013. Web.
28 Feb. 2013. APA
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'Even Organic Foods Not Stored, Prepared Or Cooked In Plastic Containers Can Contain Phthalates And Bisphenol A' Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.
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All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)
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Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.


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