Ontario Community Newspapers

Whitby Free Press, 18 Feb 1976, p. 12

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PAGE 1-2, WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 18.1976. WHITBY FREEPRESS Teachers don't want "junkfood" By BRIAN WINTER, Staff Writer There is no room for per- missiveness when it comes to eating, says Z. I. Sabry, president of Nutrition Re- search Consultants of Toronto, and f6rmerly National Co- ordinator of Nutrition Canada. Speaking before about 65 teachers and school board representatives at Anderson Collegiate Friday, Mr. Sabry said that the nutrition prob- lems of adults today started 20 to 30 years ago, and what children eat today will deter- mine the healti problems of the next generation - . Nutrition is somethingithat does not bit you overnighit" he said, - pointing out that it takes five years for someone to become obese. Mr. Sabry, who was a guest speaker at a meeting of Famnily Studies teachers on Friday's Professional Activi- ties Day, saidthat the Nutri- tion Canada study discovered that major problerns facing Canadians were obesity, shortages in diet, and defi- ciencles in such nutrients as iron, calcium and folic acid, which is found in green vegetables, liver, hearts, ahd kidneys. Mr. Sabry pointed out that SUPER VALUES ON PO LYESTE R a Strong plies of smooth- riding polyester cord: * Concave molded tread gives full tread-to-road contact for long mileage. Vwresto ne Stores I USE OUR -CREDIT KA OR.. a Wide, aggressive 7-rib tread for excellent tractior, handlinq and CoS-cut- tread pattern similar to radial tires gives outstanding wet pavement traction. OSHAWA and AJAX 71 Station - 942-3623 Mon. Wed., 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thurs., Fri,. to 9:00 p.m. Sat. 8:00 a.m. Io 5 p.m. said Mr. Sabry . He went on to explain that what was needed was a balanced diet, where there are no junk foods with "empty calories". The "junk foods", hé said, have no vitamins or minerals. . Some of the teachers said that the students would eat people are eating more wha calories than they are spend- horm ing because they are not get- corn ting enough exercise. Even wan though a person may have a teac reasonable food intake of emp calories, he is still not spend- the ing enough in exercise, he sch said. gesi "Dieting cannot be done bot by merely cutting down on 6 food", he said. "You need nut to increase activity too". to1 Mr. Sabry emphasized that sch cutting down on food in diets to can be a very dangerous pro- nol cess because a person may not a lc be getting the vitamins and 1 minerals he requires. Even the vitamin pills will not correct in this situation he said. ma He pointed out that pri domen of teen-age years and stu older are getting fewer vita- foc mins because of unwise dieting. wil "Ife we are to develop a wil preventative approach, we frc have to worry about nutri- tion of the young", said Mr. the Sabry. "You can go very far tel in influencing your children ed and their friends, but don't co give in. It is a inatter of doing it the right way". nd He spoke of how he set de down rules and restraints on t eating habits at home for his th two teen-age sons, and stated J it was amazing how well they ea passed on this information to their friends. ti As far as schools are con- e cerned, said Mr. Sabry, they eb have to explain to children b about nutrition in their n courses, and make it impos- g sible for children to eat on the school grounds anything t that is not nutritious. c When Mr. Sabry threw the i meeting open for comments b from the teachers the re- p sounding opinion was to b eliminate french fries and soft( drinks frorm the schools cafeterias.1 He replied that if some- thing is eliminated, the principals complain that they will have a revolt from the students on their hands. "One way to solve this is to provide an alternative if you eliminate something", lie said. As an example, he pointed out that the Montreal School Boards removed soft drinks, fried foods and rich preserves fromn the menus in the schools and subsidized the use of milk, salads and fruits. In the first three nonths, the objections came from the teachers and parents, and not the students, but after three months the complaints died down and milk and fruit con- sumption increased, he said. One teacher reported that this method has been tried ini lher sçhool, but had failed because the cafeteria operator tutes whiichu were required in place of french fries and soft drinks. Once the substitutes were provided the students began to eat them, she said. A number of commenits came forth about schools .losing portions of the curriculum if they subsidized the use of certain foods, and suggestionsc wee msde dtat ooy raiing the price ofs ojuk eliminate the junk foods", of the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority Tues- day Feb. 24 at the council chambers in the municipal building, starting at 8 p.m. Members of the authority will assume office at this meeting and reports will be presented. in schools 190 King St. - 725-6566 Mon., Thurs., 8:00 a.rn. tq 6:00 p.m. Fr;. 8:00 Io 9:00p.m. soi. 8:00 o.rn. JO 5:00 p.m. tever they brought from ne, or would go to the ner store to get what they ted. It was agreed by some hers that the greatest phasis should be placedon parents rather than the ool, but Mr. Sabry sug- ted the school and home h have a role to play. "You should promote good rition in the school to get the home", he said. The ool should not be a party serving junk food. This is ,a simple thing; it needs ot of effort and dedication". Mr. Sabry contended that changing of eating habits the school bas to be "a rketing job of selling the ncipals, teachers and dents that eating the rght ods is thetright thing to do. "Lt bas to be pl.anned. Lt [1 not happen quickly. We ll see the results 20 years om now"i. Another teacher mentioned at children are "captives of levision" and are condition- to eating "junk foods" by mmercials., Mr. Sabry replied that utrition teaching should evelop some kind - of îmunity to this, and teach e students to exercise dgement in the foods they at. atSince health and educa- on are provincial matters, aid Mr. Sabry, nutrition ducation should be handled y the local health units, elying on the provincial overnment. Mr. Sabr informed the eachers that the country ould save 21h billion a year n medical and hospital costs by improving nutrition. Many people are sick and dying before the age of 65 because of a lack of nutrition, lie said. Nutrition also is a factor in absenteeism froni work, said Mr. Sabry. "If the food industry put 10 per cent of its advertising dollars into nutrition adver- tising, it would spend $8 million", lie said: . Mr.. Sabry concluded his talk by stating that it is no longer new knowledge that the performance, learning ability and development of children is related to nutri- tion. "Not having breakfast can make students inattentive and restless", lie said. "It is vitally important for a liard- core subject on nutrition in schools. Nutrition speec The Scarborough-Pickerinig- Oshawa Area Group of the Allergy Information associa- tion will present a talk on "Nutrition for. Al" Thursday at 8 p.m. at the Ajax-Pickêring General Hospital at Ajax. The talk will be given by Miss M. Knox, dietician at the Oshawa General Hospital. For further information call Mrs. M. Bowers, 576-0375. CLOCA meel whtty residents are invited to attend the annual meeting

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