Nutrition News by Charlyn Fargo

Bring a pro football player to a school and you've got kids' attention. Add healthy eating plans from the National Dairy Council and you have a team that hopes to make headway in tackling childhood obesity. The two groups hope to reach 36 million youth in 60,000 elementary, middle and high schools this school year in a program called "Fuel Up to Play 60." Each school's student leaders work with school leaders to create opportunities for 60 minutes of daily physical activity and to make more healthy foods available in cafeterias, such as low-fat and fat-free dairy foods, whole grains and fruits and vegetables. The program was announced at the recent annual meeting of the American Dietetic Association in Denver.

"We have a major epidemic of childhood obesity," said Rachel Johnson, a registered dietitian at the University of Vermont, who helped design the program. "We may be looking at the first generation who don't live longer than their parents. Now, one-fifth of all U.S. children are obese or overweight."

Cal Davies, 13, of Springdale, Ark., doesn't want himself or his friends to be part of those overweight statistics. He was a student leader last year at his school, which was a pilot for the program.

"We are learning about food and exercise," said Davies, who plays football and basketball. "At home, we don't eat hot dogs anymore because of the nitrates in them. And we've started eating asparagus. We try to have a fruit and vegetable in every meal now, and we're a 100 percent wheat bread family."

Probably the biggest change he took home to his parents, who have also gotten involved in the program, is to have soda only as a treat. They've replaced it with water and milk.

Any school can enroll in the program by going to www.fueluptoplay60.com. Kids log on to the website. They pledge to eat healthier, be more physically active, track their daily behaviors and earn points to win prizes. Enrolled schools receive a kit with promotional materials and recommended healthy eating and physical activity strategies that youth teams can implement at their schools.

Q and A

Q. How much cholesterol-lowering power can I expect from one bowl of oatmeal a day?

A: The best research linking oatmeal consumption and cholesterol levels shows drops of about 10 mg/dl in LDL ("bad") cholesterol with a daily serving of 3/4 cup of quick or old-fashioned oats as measured before cooking.

A standard serving, according to the label, starts with a 1/2 cup of oats, so the 3/4 cup would be 1.5 servings. This amount of oats — equivalent to three packets of instant oatmeal — provides 3 grams of soluble fiber. Although oats' fiber (beta glucan) is established as effective in lowering cholesterol, research also supports aiming for soluble fiber from a variety of sources, such as barley, legumes and many fruits.

According to the National Cholesterol Education Program, increasing consumption of soluble fiber by 5 to 10 grams a day can decrease LDL cholesterol about 5 percent. The program's guidelines recommend aiming for a total of at least 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber daily, preferably 10 to 25 grams a day. So if two or three bowls of oatmeal is unrealistic for you, you could reach the overall target by combining options. For example, you get 2 grams of soluble fiber from each 1/2 cup of oats (measured before cooking), 2 or 3 grams from each 1/2 cup of kidney beans or other legumes, and 1 or 2 grams from each piece of fruit or each 1/2 cup of broccoli, carrots or some other vegetables.

The amount your cholesterol drops will likely also depend on what foods will replace oatmeal: If it means you're omitting some unhealthy foods like bacon and sausage or doughnuts, it may lead to a bigger change in blood cholesterol than if it replaces a generally healthy choice like a bowl of shredded wheat. — American Institute for Cancer Research

RECIPE

This recipe for Breakfast Burritos, from "The Best of Simply Colorado Cookbook," can be frozen and reheated by wrapping a burrito in a paper towel and microwaving at 50 percent power for 3 minutes.

Breakfast Burritos

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 bag (2 pounds) frozen O'Brien potatoes

8 eggs, beaten

4 egg whites

1/2 cup skim milk

1 can (7 ounces) chopped green chilies

1 cup picante sauce

20 flour tortillas, warmed

Salsa

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil. Add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes. To onion, add potatoes and continue to stir until potatoes begin to brown. In a large bowl, combine eggs, egg whites and milk; mix well. Pour egg mixture over browned potatoes and add green chilies; scramble until eggs are cooked. Assemble burritos by putting about 1/3 cup of mixture onto a warm tortilla, spoon picante sauce over each and roll. Serve alone or with salsa. Makes 20 servings. Serving size, 1 burrito.

Per burrito: 217 calories, 7 g protein, 32 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat, 85 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 452 mg sodium.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian in Springfield, Ill. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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