Food for thought

EAST COUNTY — Fruit? Check. Vegetables and physical activity? Check and check.

Eating more fruits and vegetables isn't just a parent's command to children anymore.

The Manatee County School District is piggybacking on a nationwide initiative to promote healthier eating and lifestyle habits for students and school staff members. This school year, the district and its Food and Nutrition Services Department are partnering with principals, cafeteria staff and parents to bring the 52109 concept to life inside county schools.

The program is designed to battle childhood obesity by offering specific steps students can take to lead a healthier life.

Children should focus on one goal, or step, each week, said Ro Mohamed, school district wellness coordinator.

Those steps include eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, cutting time using technology by two hours each day and to be physically active for at least one hour each day.

"Other counties leave off the '9,' which means try to get nine hours of sleep each night,"said Skye Grundy, a registered dietician with the district's Food and Nutrition Services Department. "But sleep is so important to the growth and development of children. They need to be well rested to learn."

East County principals are rolling out the program over the next few weeks and will soon decorate their cafeterias, classrooms and hallways with posters promoting the program.

Costs associated with printing materials are minimal and have totaled more than $600 so far, Mohamed said.

School staff members have undergone coaching on ways to best encourage students to pick at least one goal to focus on each week.

"I've already trained 500 school employees on the program," Mohamed said. "We talk about what they're currently doing at their schools to promote health and wellness, and what they can do to make improvements there."

The district's goal is to make healthy choices easier and more welcoming, Grundy said.

"This is an evidence-based program that works," Grundy said. "It's simple to remember and doesn't require a lot of effort. And, it's for a good purpose — living healthy."

Contact Amanda Sebastiano at [email protected].

"What lifestyle change would you make for one week?"

Micah Parsley

Age: 7

Grade: Second

School: Freedom Elementary

"I'd give up sugary drinks like soda. I mostly drink water anyway, and don't even like juice, really. I don't think I could go without much TV time. I love the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon."

Kayla Reynolds

Age: 8

Grade: Second

School: Freedom Elementary

"I think I could watch less TV, but it would be hard. I guess I'd just go outside — maybe ride my bike or hang out with my friends. But I do love TV."

Logan McLeod

Age: 7

Grade: Second

School: Freedom Elementary

"I would go without sugary drinks. I watch TV at night, and it's really fun. So, I'm not giving that up. But I play baseball and soccer, so I drink a lot of water anyway. So that would be pretty easy for me to give up soda, because I don't even like it."

Alannah Hammond

Age: 10

Grade: Fifth

School: B.D. Gullett Elementary

"I'll give up sugary drinks for a week. I like apple juice and water mostly, but I could leave out juice. I don't think that would be too hard."

Nicole Chen

Age: 10

Grade: Fifth

School: B.D. Gullett Elementary

"I already eat at least five vegetables and fruits a day. I don't really have a favorite vegetable, though, and I like fruit a lot better. Oranges are good. If I can eat more oranges, then it wouldn't be hard for me to eat healthier."

Ethan McKay

Age:10

Grade: Fifth

School: B.D. Gullett Elementary

"I want to get more physical activity. I watch TV, but I could probably give that up, too. Playing outside more often is fun anyway."

Morgan Foth

Age: 8

Grade: Third

School: B.D. Gullett Elementary

"I definitely don't want to give up any time watching TV. I love the Disney Channel. So, I'd try to do more physical activity. I go horseback riding a lot. Does that count?"