Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Teens Eat Right—A FREE resource for teachers

SCAN is pleased to offer another FREE resource—Teens Eat Right. Teens Eat Right is a slide presentation with notes, cleverly developed handouts, and a quiz with answer key. It was developed to help teachers (and others who interface with teenagers) to help teens make healthy food choices. It can be ordered and downloaded free of charge here: http://www.scandpg.org/store/products/10129/

The slides and lesson plans were developed by Carol Lapin, MS, RD, CSSD, who is also co-director of SCAN's Wellness and Cardiovascular RDs subunit. Carol is a former high school teacher so she knows what grabs kids' attention. I call Carol the "rabbit" partly because she is always sniffing around finding new ideas (also because lapin is the French word for rabbit). Here's a sample of one of the slides:


There are notes for each slide and the data included were collected by Alicia Moag-Stahlberg, MS, RD, CSSD. Several people were involved in helping with the handouts including Pamela Nisevich Bede, MS, RD, CSSD, Linda Steakley, MS, RD, LD, Donna Bassi, RD, LDN, Maureen Mason, MS, RD, Jill Hobbs, MS, RD, LDH and Jill Eagen, MPH, RD (If I've forgotten anyone let me know, but blame Carol).

The Teens Eat Right materials are intended to be humorous with images that catch the eye and make you laugh (don't miss the toddler looking for food in the refrigerator). However, we all know the seriousness of the problem and this can help engage teens on the topic of healthy eating. SCAN hopes this will be a valuable resource for teachers and dietitians; Please tell a colleague that it is available.

Teens Eat Right—IBIWISI (I'll Believe It When I See It)—but maybe this will help move us towards our goal. Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD
SCAN's volunteer web editor

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Sign up for SCAN events at FNCE

Sign up for SCAN events at FNCE. They're FREE and there's food!

If you are going to be at FNCE, SCAN has several FREE events. You will need to register for some of them because the number of seats available is limited due to the size of the room or because enough food needs to be ordered. This page on the SCAN website contains all the information that you need: http://www.scandpg.org/e-learning-and-events/2011-fnce/. Be sure to scroll down so that you can see all of the events. Breakfasts, receptions, spotlight sessions...and much more.

I've been attending FNCE for a long time (my first one was in 1974, before it was named FNCE) and I've developed a strategy that works for me. I stay at a hotel about a mile from the convention center so that I can walk to and from the main venue. Exercise is built into the day and it is fun to see and hear a city wake up. San Diego Convention center is located on the harbor. I grew up in a beach town in southern California and an early morning walk along the water is a wonderful way to start the day.

Attending a breakfast gets my day started right. I hear good speakers, earn CPEUs, and get to sit down to eat a healthy meal (as opposed to grazing my way through the exhibits). It's also nice to see colleagues--so much of my work is done through electronic communications and it is nice to have the human contact. Of course, the down side to breakfast is actually having to get out of bed, get dressed, and get there, but it is easier for most of us when the host city is on Pacific time.

I'm planning on being at all the SCAN events at FNCE. If you see me there, please say hello.

Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD
SCAN's volunteer web editor