The 3 "E"s of Healthy Living!
Students in New Caney ISD will be participants in a new Texas Department of Agriculture initiative aimed at encouraging students to adopt the 3E's of Healthy Living - Education, Exercise and Eating Right. Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples announced during National School Lunch Week, October 12-16, a campaign called "Texans Bring It!" designed to engage youth to make decisions that will help them live healthy lives free from obesity-related illnesses.
"By removing fried foods and foods of minimal nutritional value, we have worked closely with school districts to bring the most nutritious meals to Texas school cafeterias," Commissioner Staples said. "Unfortunately, even these great strides are not enough to win the war against childhood obesity in our state."
According to Trust for America's Health, Texas ranks 20th in childhood obesity with 32 percent of children ages 10-17 considered obese. Texas also ranks 14th for adult obesity with 28 percent of adults considered obese. Research shows an overweight child at age 12 has a 75 percent chance of being overweight as an adult.
The Agriculture Department is now asking students and parents to join in the fight with one simple question, 'How will you Bring It?' The "Texans Bring It!" campaign and call to action recognizes individual value, talent, responsibility and collaboration toward a healthier Texas. The digitally animated, 30-second video called MyPyramid Cafe, which refers to the USDA Food Pyramid, takes place in a school cafeteria inspiring students to see healthy foods in a new way and to stay fit. MyPyramid Cafe will be released November 1 and will run in middle schools across Texas through Channel One News. The campaign will include an interactive web site to encourage student participation and a tour that will feature an interactive bus with show times of the video and a wall where students can write what they will bring into their lives to stay fit and healthy.
"School meals are a great way to ensure children are getting a healthy diet, but they are not enough," Commissioner Staples said. "It's time for all parents, teachers and community leaders to lead by example and encourage the 3E's of Healthy Living - Education, Exercise and Eating Right, and for students themselves to decide they want to live better, longer lives."
