Released July 28, 2009
Small steps toward eating healthy and being active add up to big results. That first step can be the hardest. A new science-based resource can help. It’s the Family, Foods and Fitness resource from eXtension (pronounced E-extension), at http://www.extension.org/families_food_fitness.
This month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released research showing the obesity prevalence is increasing. The proportion of U.S. adults who are obese increased to 26.1 percent in 2008 compared with 25.6 percent in 2007.
Data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2003–2006) show the prevalence of obesity in U.S. children: for ages 2–5 years, 12.4 percent are obese; ages 6–11 years, 17.0 percent; and for ages 12–19 years, 17.6 percent. (http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/index.html)
“America’s lifestyle choices underlie obesity and many chronic diseases,” said Jane Clary, a Mississippi State University extension professor and leader of the new families, food and fitness section. “This new resource is geared to help Americans improve their diets, increase physical activity and maintain their body weights in a healthy range.”
Six key behaviors help people eat smart, move more and achieve a healthy weight. Each behavior is featured on the site with links to more information:
- Move more everyday
- Tame the tube
- Right size your portions
- Enjoy more fruits and vegetables
- Prepare and eat more meals at home
- Re-think your drink
Help for healthy lifestyles
“A great first step to eat healthy is to prepare and eat more meals at home,” said Carolyn Dunn, professor and nutrition specialist at North Carolina State University. “When you prepare and eat meals at home, you are in charge of what you cook, how you cook it and how much you serve. Start with simple recipes that use a few healthy ingredients. Choose what is in season and readily available in your area.”
- The families, food and fitness resource has healthy recipes, http://www.extension.org/wiki/Families_Food_and_Fitness_Dynamic_List_of_Recipes.
- A spice guide has suggested foods for each spice and even what the flavor is like at http://www.extension.org/wiki/Interactive_Spice_Guide.
- When eating out, choose healthy options. Menu items from McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, Chick-Fil-A, Domino’s and Taco Bell are on the interactive Fast Food Menu at http://www.extension.org/wiki/Interactive_Fast_Food_Menu.
Adults need at least 30 minutes a day of moderate activity – more is even better. Children need at least one hour of play and movement each day. Get moving by choosing activities you enjoy. Start slow and build up to the recommended amounts for good health, Dunn advises.
- The move more everyday section has research, exercise tips and help for setting goals at http://www.extension.org/category/move_more_everyday.
Contributors
The families, food and fitness section of eXtension provides information that’s easy to access and is frequently updated with the latest reliable research. Experienced researchers and extension personnel in the United States contributed to the new site. The experts are based in 1862 and 1890 land-grant universities, other universities and education centers.
24 eXtension resource areas
Families, food and fitness is one of many Web communities within eXtension, www.extension.org, a national project of the U.S. Cooperative Extension System. Other topic resources include information on the financial crisis; animal manure management; bee health; beef cattle; corn and soybean production; cotton production; dairy cattle; disasters; diversity across higher education; entrepreneurs and their communities; family caregiving; geospatial technology; goats; horses; horticulture; imported fire ants; niche meat processing; organic agriculture; parenting; personal finance; science, engineering and technology for youth; urban integrated pest management; and wildlife damage management.
eXtension is an educational partnership of more than 70 land-grant universities helping Americans improve their lives with access to timely, objective, research-based information and educational opportunities. eXtension's interactive Web site is customized with links to local Cooperative Extension sites. Land-grant universities were founded on the ideals that higher education should be accessible to all, that universities should teach liberal and practical subjects and share knowledge with people throughout their states.
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Contacts: Jane Clary, Mississippi State University, (662) 325-5014, jclary@fsnhp.msstate.edu
Carolyn Dunn, North Carolina State University, (919) 515-9142, carolyn_dunn@ncsu.edu
Writer: Lynette Spicer, Iowa State University, lynette.spicer@extension.org
Related CDC releases:
July 8, 2009: Obesity Among U.S. Adults Continues to Rise, http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2009/r090708.htm
July 27, 2009: Study Estimates Medical Cost of Obesity May Be As High as $147 Billion Annually, http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2009/r090727.htm?s_cid=mediarel_r090727
