Blog
March 2, 2017
by Marissa Davis Project Director, NJPHK – Trenton Much like my daughter in the picture above, sugar is everywhere! Foods we typically think are healthy (think yogurt, granola, spaghetti sauce) often contain significant amounts of sugar. Consuming too much sugar can lead to many health-related issues like obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Per SugarScience.org, the average American consumes nearly 19.5 teaspoons of sugar per day, which is approximately 66 pounds per year. In observance of March being National Nutrition Month, here are four easy ways you can reduce your sugar intake: Remove the sugar bowl, honey, or molasses from your tables and counters – Out of sight out of mind! You’ll be less tempted to use these sugary products if they aren’t at your fingertips daily. Buy fresh fruit instead of canned fruit – Fruit is naturally sweet, so consuming canned fruit in syrup or juice adds additional If […]
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February 13, 2017
By Valeria Galarza Project Director, Cooper’s Ferry Partnership and NJPHK-Camden The American Heart Association (AHA) reports that heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States and about 790,000 people have heart attacks each year. Poor food choices including over processed foods that are high in sodium and sugar are causing serious health-related issues (stroke, health disease, diabetes, etc.) to start at an early age. Because February is American Heart Month, here are three simple ways to make sure you’re taking care of yourself and being heart smart: Eat a healthy balanced diet– Make sure to eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products. Processed foods (white bread, cookies) contain high amounts of saturated fats and sodium and increase your blood pressure. Learn to read the nutrition labels before you buy! Make sleep a priority– According to a study by […]
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January 12, 2017
by Darrin Anderson and Jasmine Hall Ratliff If we want our children to grow up with healthy minds and healthy bodies, we need to surround them with opportunities to develop healthy habits from their very first days. Providing opportunities like these has played a key role in efforts to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic, and it’s starting to pay off—both nationally and in New Jersey. New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, show that between 2010 and 2014, New Jersey’s obesity rate for 2-to-4-year-olds enrolled in the federal nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) fell from 18.9 percent to 15.3 percent. The data pointed to similar declines in 30 other states. Several factors might be driving this trend. In 2009, the WIC program started offering a wider variety of healthy food options and increased its promotion and support of breastfeeding. Meanwhile, New Jersey’s Department of […]
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