Posts by tag
childhood obesity
Ready for National Junk Food Day?
It’s real…but it’s also a joke. July 21 is now designated as the day when we are encouraged to eat all the junk food we want—cheeseburgers with bacon, nachos with…
Happy 6th Birthday, KITK!
Because March is National Nutrition Month in the U.S. and Canada, let’s take a moment to sing Happy Birthday to The Junior Leagues’ Kids in the Kitchen program. Now in…
What Can ‘Volunteers’ Achieve?
Members of the new California State Legislature can expect to hear from a formidable advocate with a 40-year history of fighting for women’s and children’s issues – the Junior Leagues of California State Public Affairs Committee (“SPAC”), which represents the more than 11,000 members of 16 Junior Leagues across California.
Founded in 1970, California SPAC is one of The Junior League’s oldest and largest state public affairs committees, whose goals are to serve as the voice of the women and children in the communities they serve by introducing and supporting state legislation that improves the lives of women and children in the communities we serve. Other Junior League SPACs are in New Jersey, New York, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio and Washington State, along with single-League advocacy groups in St. Louis and Denver. Some 95 individual Leagues with more than 52,000 members are involved these efforts across the country.
How strong is the power of association?
Call it the multiplier effect. Sure, one League out of 292 can make a difference in its own community, but harness the power of 292 Junior Leagues and you can…
Worried about childhood obesity? Start with Halloween.
Did you know the average American consumes 25 pounds of candy each year, much of which is consumed around Halloween? And, let’s face it, kids consume a large portion of…
Does Hunger Stop in Summer?
No. Maybe that’s why June is National Hunger Awareness Month. But, at The Junior Leagues, we believe that hunger – and its companion, childhood obesity – is a year-round concern.…
It’s Summer – Do You Know What Your Kids Are Eating?
It’s ironic that National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month and National Hunger Awareness Month are both celebrated in June. It’s also ironic that, in America, we feel compelled to warn…
Helping Kids Walk Away from Fast Food
There’s a lot of talk about childhood obesity. And no one seriously doubts the link between fat-filled fast food grabbed at take-out restaurants and weight problems. But how do you begin to break the cycle that locks kids – particularly disadvantaged children in urban areas – into a fast food diet for life?
We believe education has to begin at home – but schools and communities also play a critical role.
Want Some Green Goblin Veggies With That Pita Pocket Paradise?
With National Nutrition Month upon us in the United States and Canada, maybe it’s time to spend less time talking about childhood obesity rates and more time talking about how…
Are Corn Pops and Cocoa Pebbles Really a Public Health Menace?
With about a third of children in the U.S. considered overweight or obese, researchers increasingly point to the way kid’s cereal is marketed to our children – through TV advertising and even online game sites – as a key part of the problem. But the bigger problem may well be the fact that what kids don’t know about their food may actually hurt them.