Programs 'retrain' to healthy eating

By Lindsay Blair
Today's youth are far more likely to be found in front of the television or the computer screen, or at a fast food spot, than they are elevating their heart rates in sport or exercise. The rate of obesity in US youngsters has doubled in the last 20 years, according to the US centre for disease control.
Health and fitness facilities in Plattsburgh offer facilities which encourage a healthy lifestyle, but a report on obesity statistics shows that 56.7 percent of adults and 13.2 percent of children aged between two and four in Clinton County are overweight. According to the statistics recorded from 2004 to 2006, 72 percent of infants before the age of two are obese. The report, Obesity Statistics and Prevention Activities in Clinton County, released by the New York State Department of Health compares the rates of obesity of adults and children with the lifestyles led. The report outlines the differences in lifestyle and how these factors can contribute to weight problems in adults and children.
A healthy lifestyle is down to personal choice, dietician at Plattsburgh State, Jeff Vallee said. He said that it is difficult to regulate what people are eating, especially in a college environment where there is so much choice. He said that often the people who come to college are not used to putting a meal together for themselves with the right amount of servings and the most suitable sized portions and therefore it is often the case that people overeat on foods that are not the healthiest options.
Vallee, who is an aide to the students at PSUC and holds seminars to advise about nutrition said, “We have our healthy dining hall, Algonquin which has everything baked, and then in Clinton dining hall foods are fried. You still have your healthy options, you have your whole wheat pizza, salad bar and wrap station and stuff like that,” he said, “So you still have healthy options in there but what I see is people, there is no one regulating them, they need to have responsibility to say that they won’t eat a hot dog every day.”
“When people think of unhealthy they always think of overweight, but a lot of people who are underweight, there are a lot of health concerns there too.”
In lower level schools the regulation of food is largely down to the school dining facilities. School nutrition is regulated from New York State and down to the separate school districts. Plattsburgh School District has enforced regulations in its dining halls in schools to try and make children more aware of healthy eating options from an early age.
Charlene O’Connor, School Lunch Manager of the Plattsburgh School District said, “They (children) learn habits (of eating unhealthily) and we try to make them more aware and to teach them to choose wisely,” she said.
“Kids aren’t thinking the same way as adults do and so they think it’s OK to eat sugary and fatty foods all the time. We are trying to change that behavior so that obesity rates will eventually drop,” O’Connor said.
Programs and initiatives have been put in place across the board of education before college level to encourage children and young adults to develop healthier eating habits. Portions of available foods and drinks have been cut from two to one, more fresh fruit, vegetables and whole wheat foods are offered and less high-sugar snacks such as brownies and cookies.
O’Connor said that the school is trying to “retrain” the children to choose something healthier. This is being done by placing healthy options in plain view and by placing things like apples and healthy snacks in front of less healthy alternatives.
“Kids would rather have a brownie than an apple, we are trying to retrain them,” she said.