Released February 9, 2009
FOND DU LAC, Wis. – Nutrition anyone? March will offer ample opportunities to celebrate and educate about the value of good nutrition and healthy eating habits--including the importance of a wholesome breakfast.
“March is a wonderful month to celebrate nutrition. It starts with National School Breakfast Week from March 2-6, and the focus on nutrition continues for the rest of National Nutrition Month®,” says Julia E. Salomón, program specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Extension.
National School Breakfast Week is an annual celebration dedicated to promoting the School Breakfast program and its contribution to the health and well-being of school children. First launched in 1989, it was created by the School Nutrition Association to raise awareness of the availability of school breakfast programs for all children and is celebrated every year during the first week of March.
“Talking about the benefits of breakfast is a great way to kick off a month dedicated to promoting good eating practices. Many school age children do not start their day with a healthy breakfast. School breakfast programs are one way to ensure that all students are one step closer to having what they need to succeed in school,” says Salomón.
“Schools across the state are encouraged to highlight the important contributions of the School Breakfast Program to school children, their parents, school staff and their communities,” adds Salomón.
Research has shown that eating breakfast can improve academic performance, boost test scores, reduce absenteeism and tardiness in school and decrease classroom disruptions.
National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education and information campaign created by the American Dietetic Association and celebrated annually in March that highlights the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits at every stage of life.
“Eating right does not have to be complicated,” says Salomón. “Focusing on variety, emphasizing nutrient-rich foods and reading the Nutrition Facts on food labels to make wise food choices are some of the things you can do.”
“Eating breakfast is a healthy strategy that fits well with the 2009 National Nutrition Month® theme—‘Eat Right,’” Salomón says. “Educating people about the positive outcomes related to breakfast consumption is an important part of promoting healthy eating patterns.”
For more information about National School Breakfast Week
http://docs.schoolnutrition.org/meetingsandevents/nsbw2009/index.htm or
http://www.schoolbreakfast.org/
For more information on National Nutrition Month® visit
http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/NNM_2007_home.htm
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