NUTRITION

Our bodies are made of food, and the choices of what we eat have a profound affect on the health of our bodies, communities and environment. Nutritionist Marion Nestle, Chair of the Department of Nutrition & Food Studies at New York University, has written two books, Food Politics and Safe Food, which reveal the personal and cultural impacts of the industrialization of our food supply.

As a result of poor nutrition and lack of exercise, today more than 50% of Americans are overweight. The obesity epidemic is especially impacting the young, with five-year-old children now showing signs of heart disease. For those concerned about reversing this trend, the Center for Science in the Public Interest's School Foods Tool Kit is an excellent starting point, as well as the organizations below.

Citizens' Campaign for Commercial-Free Schools (http://www.scn.org/cccs)
The Citizens' Campaign is a statewide network of parents, teachers and policy makers working to eliminate commercial influences in public schools. In addition to efforts to stop the exploitation of children through advertising, the organization focuses on food and nutrition, with an emphasis on getting junk food out of schools.

Nutrition Education Network of Washington (https://nutrition.wsu.edu/nutrition-education-network/)
The Nutrition Education Network coordinates the efforts of health experts, the food industry and public agencies to educate the public about alternatives for healthful eating.

Seattle Nutrition Action Consortium (SNAC) (http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/nutrition/snac.aspx)
Formed in 1994, SNAC is a consortium of health departments, public schools and social service agencies cooperating to promote practical nutrition education. They work primarily with limited income families and emphasize the importance of families cooking and eating together. In cooperation with Share Our Strength, local chefs introduce children to simple cooking skills and the joys of discovering new foods. In 2003, with funding from the UW's Center for Public Health Nutrition, SNAC initiated a new program called Kids on the Move!, which combines nutrition education, cooking, and physical activity. As part of this program, children tend a garden and shop for food in neighborhood farmers markets.