Posts Tagged ‘Obesity’

Plan a Successful California High School Fundraiser

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

The state of California has been a trendsetter as far as its implementation of the health laws concerning children are concerned. With more and more children and young adults being affected by obesity and Type 2 Diabetes, the government has enforced a law like California SB-12 that clearly sets out the portion of sugar, fats and saturated fats content in an individual snack. Therefore if you are associated with a school in California, you need to keep in mind the clauses of California SB-12 as you plan a successful California High School Fundraiser. Obesity occurs as a result of an imbalance in the amount of calories consumed and the amount spent. Therefore it is necessary to look what you eat. All these point towards one thing: it is time to give up chocolate fundraising.

When it comes to planning a successful California Fundraiser, these are a bit different from the fundraisers organized in other parts of the country. The teacher, club leader or the coach, whoever is assigned the task of organizing the fundraiser has to do so by complying with the guidelines set by the wellness policy of the school which in turn has to adhere by the California SB-12.

The person in charge therefore has to look for healthy fundraising solutions to make the event a success with the children and at the same time keep a tab on the fact their health is not compromised with. Therefore the coach or teacher has to work to find healthy fundraising solutions to this challenge.

A search for providers of healthy snacks can be made on the web, browsing through the lists of what they have on offer and then placing the order. One can place an order online or over the phone. The healthy snacks that are ordered are then delivered through FedEx ground. Once these are delivered, then the person at the helm of the fundraiser passes on these snack boxes to the students who volunteer for the fundraising event. The students are then asked to sell these to their peers and the money from the sales is handed in to the Coach or Teacher in charge. At the end of the event, the part of the money is given to providers of the healthy snacks and the remaining part of the proceeds is kept for the cause for which it had been raised.

The best thing about these fundraisers is the fact that each snack in these events has less than 35% sugar content, less than 10% saturated fats and less than 35% fat. There is a whole range of healthy snacks on offer and the kids can choose their favorites. California fundraising snacks include
Rice Krispies Treats and several delectable items.

Initially, right after the implementation of the California SB 12 in July 2007, fundraiser organizers might have thought that planning for the same would not be as easy as it was before. But the truth is that with the easy availability of healthy fundraising solutions, it is much the same.

Tags: California fundraising snacks, California SB 12, healthy snacks, high school fundraising, Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes
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Nutritional Regulations Create School Fundraising Challenge

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

Obesity is the major health concern all across the United States of America as 65% of the adult American population is found to be overweight. Available statistics indicate that almost 16% of the children in the country are overweight and the numbers are increasing with each passing day. Obesity is also the root cause for other health related issues like hypertension, cardiac problems, cancer, diabetes and orthopedic problems and 25% of children within the age group of five to ten have been found to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and Type 2 Diabetes. Lack of physical activity further worsens the condition.

The federal government has understood the role of the schools in countering the problem of child obesity and the legislation of Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 was a step in that direction. The rising health costs also do not help much.

Given the present state of affairs, a number of nutritional regulations have been imposed to establish a healthy nutrition environment at the schools. This holds true especially for fundraising events. Implementation of laws like SB 12 has placed a ban on chocolate fundraisers that have an adverse effect on the health of children and young adults. The thrust is now on introducing healthy snack ideas that may prove to be healthy alternatives to the sweets and junk food that kids usually gorge on.

The food items that come under the purview of the nutritional guidelines include snacks, snack carts, desserts, school fundraisers, school vending machines, school stores and ala carte lines. As per the existing health norms, no food item can have 35% of calories from total fat, 35% sugar by weight and 10% calories from saturated fat. The healthy alternatives for children should contain zero trans fat.

In such a scenario, it is a challenge for fundraiser organizers, especially members of the PTA, who are into conceptualizing and working on an elementary school fundraising event. They have to keep in mind that children are far less likely to eat bland low calorie food, let alone enjoy it. Instead they should think of healthy fundraising solutions that do not compromise on the taste, are low on calories thereby complying with the nutritional guidelines and wellness policies.

Fundraising in a healthy manner will help you to raise a substantial amount of money from the event. There is nothing much you need to do except for ensuring the fact that the snacks at the fundraiser are healthy so that the kids can have a good time and their parents do not have to bother about what their child is eating. The kids will not mind donating from their pocket money and that too quite generously if what they get in return is worth it. Parents on their parts will not think twice before sending their child for a healthy fundraising event.

Tags: California SB 12, Nutritional Regulations, Obesity, PTA, School fundrasing, Type 2 Diabetes
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What To Do About Skyrocketing Obesity Healthcare Costs

Monday, August 17th, 2009

A large part of the GDP of the United States of America is spent on healthcare facilities. Healthcare expenditure amounts to 15.3% of the total GDP. The coming decade is predicted to be no different and the costs can rise up to 19.5%. More than deadly diseases, it is physical conditions like obesity that has increased the amount of money that an average American spends on health related problems. Of the total population of the United States, almost 25% are obese and suffer from ailments that result out of it.

Health statistics reveal that cases of obesity witnessed a steep rise of 37% from 1998-2006 that consequently raised the amount that was spent on it to a whopping $40 billion per year. The amount spent on treatment of obesity related diseases was 42% more than what was spent on the healthcare of standard weight individuals. This high rate of expenditure is on health is surely a cause of concern especially in current scenario of economic downturn.

These were not spent on fat removal surgeries like bariatric surgery but on diseases that occurred as a result of obesity. People who are overweight are likely to be diagnosed with diabetes and heart diseases. The increasing cases of obesity are thus responsible for the upward swing in healthcare costs.

You do not want your child to be troubled by obesity and other associated diseases like Type 2 Diabetes from such an early age. Therefore, it is up to the parents and the teachers to share the responsibility of developing a diet plan for the child that would incorporate all the essential nutrients and at the same time appeal to his or her taste buds. Along with the right kind of food, it is also necessary to encourage them for engaging in a lot of physical activity instead of remaining glued to the computer or the television screen.

The effort towards countering this rising expenditure should come from all quarters. To begin with, it is the duty of every parent, teacher and coach to inculcate healthy eating habits in kids. Teachers and coaches can set an example by organizing healthy fundraisers that impose restrictions on the intake of food items rich in fats, saturated fats and sugar. Chocolate fundraisers are no longer organized in most schools across the nation and thus pass on the message of opting for healthy solutions in fundraising effectively.

Now the question may arise as to what are the substitutes for fried foods and snacks which children find hard to resist. The solution to this is healthy alternatives or snacks that contain less fats and sugar thereby minimizing the chances of children becoming prone to obesity. It is difficult to restrain children from snacking, especially at the time of a school fundraiser, but when you arrange for healthy snacking options, you no longer need to restrict kids from having them. You cannot compromise with the health of your family and therefore it is better to be careful rather than repent later.

Tags: Healthcare Costs, Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes
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