Photo by Kadin Pounders
Kristie Allen gets a little “audience participation” during her presentation on nutrition at a Live Strong session held recently.

By Kadin Pounders

For the FCT

A group of children at the Ralph Bishop Recreational Center sat and listened to a presentation on nutrition and the importance of a balanced diet as part of the Live Strong camp.

Coordinated by the Franklin County S.P.A.N. (Special Programming for Achievement Network), Live Strong was a six-session program.

“Last year (S.P.A.N.) wanted to extend our services to the community, so we created a summer camp,” said Remona Roberson. “This year our emphasis is on (the children) taking care of themselves.”

Over the course of the Live Strong program, children not only learned about nutrition but also about fitness, good manners, first aid, personal hygiene and getting along with others.

“(Live Strong) is an opportunity, hopefully, to teach life skills to students that will help them take care of themselves,” said Roberson.

Each session had a speaker who shared the importance of his or her specific topic.

Children at the nutrition session learned about all the major food groups, what types of foods go into each group and why each one is important. For children in Alabama, where obesity and other health problems are statistically higher, learning good nutrition now can help in the long run.

“It’s a great idea to start learning young about good nutrition, how to eat healthy and the importance of exercise,” said Kristie Allen, a nutrition educator with the Franklin County Extension office.

June was a fitting time to discuss food groups as it was also National Dairy Month. National Dairy Month, which began in 1937, is meant to recognize dairy farmers as well as promote dairy consumption as a part of a health and nutritious diet.

“Dairy is important for strong bones and teeth, and it’s important to get all your servings of dairy a day,” said Allen. “For adults, dairy can help prevent things like osteoporosis.”

The dairy product milk is considered a nutritional powerhouse, packing nine essential nutrients in every glass: protein, calcium, riboflavin, phosphorus, vitamin D, vitamin B, potassium, vitamin A and niacin.

It is suggested by United States Department of Agriculture that – based on gender and age – everyone consume the recommended amount of fruits, grains, vegetables, protein, and dairy a day.