My Final Project for My Nutrition Class
National Agencies:
Institute of Child Nutrition
Mission: Provide evidence-based information, services, and support that advance Child Nutrition Programs across the nation.
Website: https://theicn.org/
Funding: Funded by a grant administered through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS).
Outreach: The ICN has a webinar, a podcast, in-person trainings, and their website.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Mission: USDA's child nutrition programs help ensure that children receive nutritious meals and snacks that promote their health and educational readiness. The USDA actually fills so many niches that I couldn't find a fifth national agency to add to this list—plenty of state agencies, though.
Website: https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/child-nutrition-programs
Funding: U.S. Citizens' taxes.
Outreach: You can see the impact of the USDA in school breakfast and lunch programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Summer Food Service Program.
HeadStart
Mission: To provide staff and families with resources to support healthy eating habits and find nutrition assistance.
Website: https://headstart.gov/nutrition
Funding: Funded through the USDA.
Outreach: HeadStart has a website, a newsletter, and many locations across the country where low-income families can get childcare.
UNICEF
Mission: UNICEF runs nutrition programmes in 130 countries to reach children, adolescents and women the moment it matters most. Everywhere we operate, we work to prevent malnutrition in all its forms. Where prevention fails, treatment is a must.
Website: https://www.unicef.org/nutrition
Funding: Funded entirely through voluntary contributions from governments, private donors, foundations, and individuals.
Outreach: Operates in over 130 countries and has a website. As an international organization, they're also on the news sometimes.
Local Agencies:
Utah State Board of Education
Mission: Child Nutrition Programs help to ensure the children of Utah have adequate access to safe and nutritious foods. Meeting this basic need is essential to their establishment of a healthy eating pattern and development of a strong foundation for academic achievement.
Website: https://schools.utah.gov/cnp/index
Funding: Utah citizens' taxes.
Outreach: You'll see the impact of the USBE in any public school in Utah. Their website also has links to various other resources.
Orem Child Care Nutrition Program
Mission: Improve the diets of children by providing nutritious meals and help children develop good eating habits.
Website: http://www.occnpg.com/fdch.html
Funding: FDCH Sponsors are public or private nonprofit organizations approved by the Utah State Office of Education.
Outreach: Participating Child Care Homes offer children two meals and one snack each per day.
Utah State University Child Care Nutrition Program
Mission: To promote good nutrition and a safe, healthy child care environment for the children of Utah. To provide nutrition education, support, and disburse USDA funds to family child care providers.
Website: https://idrpp.usu.edu/ccnp/index
Funding: Technically run nationally, so funded nationally through the USDA, but operates locally.
Outreach: Appears to function in about the same way as the Orem Child Care Nutrition Program, offering meals and snacks to kids in participating child care facilities.
Utah Community Action
Mission: Our Nutrition Program was founded on the belief that access to healthy food provides the foundation for future success. From healthy meals for pre-schoolers and seniors to culinary training, our focus is on health, education, and self-reliance.
Website: https://utahca.org/nutrition/
Funding: Appears to be funded mostly through donations, but has ties to Head Start programs.
Outreach: Has ties to Head Start programs (looks like it's part of the same overall agency as Head Start) and runs several events each year.
Textbooks:
Safety, Health, and Nutrition in Early Childhood Education by Jennifer Paris
Summary: “Early childhood is a critical time in development. Many outcomes, both positive and negative, have their beginnings in these years. It is vital that children’s health and safety be protected. High-quality early care and education programs can play a valuable role in improving outcomes for children.” Seems to be a good resource for parents and educators in taking care of the children under their care.
Nutrition: Science and Everyday Application by Alice Callahan, Heather Leonard, and Tamberly Powell
Summary: “This book is designed as an Open Education Resource (OER) for introductory nutrition courses and has been adopted for use in high schools and colleges. Topics covered include basic nutrition and metabolism, information literacy, body weight and health, nutrition across life stages, dietary supplements, an in-depth look at each of the macronutrients, and major functions of vitamins and minerals.” This textbook, as with all that follow, could be a good resource because it gives basic information about how nutrition works that anyone can find useful and adapt to their needs, including in work with children.
The Science of Nutrition by Heather L. Lehman
Summary: “The Science of Nutrition offers a clear and engaging introduction to the fundamental principles of nutrition. This textbook bridges evidence-based research with practical application, making it ideal for both nutrition or science majors and non-majors. Students will explore how nutrition is studied, how dietary recommendations are developed, and why these guidelines matter for health.” This textbook could be a good resource because it gives basic information about how nutrition works that anyone can find useful and adapt to their needs, including in work with children.
The Art and Science of Personal Wellness by A.J. Stephen
Summary: “This educational resource is the official course textbook for Personal Wellness – INDS 1081 at Fanshawe College. Designed for today’s learners, it explores the eight core dimensions of wellness—physical, emotional, social, financial, spiritual, occupational, intellectual, and environmental—through a practical, evidence-informed lens.” This textbook could be a good resource because it gives basic information about how nutrition works that anyone can find useful and adapt to their needs, including in work with children.
Culinary Medicine by Cheryl Casey, Scott Going, Lauren McCullough, and Melanie Hingle
Summary: “This peer-reviewed Culinary Medicine textbook is aimed at individuals and communities seeking to implement food-based disease prevention programs. While the primary audience is students taking a 400/500-level nutrition class, this book can be used and adapted by anyone. It includes recipes and case studies, as well as information on kitchen skills, food safety, menu planning, shopping and budgeting, popular diets, dietary supplements, food demonstrations, seed-to-table programs, community partnerships, and culturally centered approaches. There are also chapters on macronutrients, micronutrients, and bioactive compounds.” This textbook could be a good resource because it gives basic information about how nutrition works that anyone can find useful and adapt to their needs, including in work with children.
Books:
Anti-Diet by Christy Harrison
A book full of strategies for separating oneself from diet culture and reclaiming health and happiness through intuitive eating.
More Than a Body by Lindsay Kite and Lexie Kite
A book that rebels against traditional diet culture and the idea that you have to be beautiful to be worth it. It's better to focus on what your body can do for you than what your body looks like; if your body functions well and you feel good, that's what matters!
Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch
The book that originally pioneered the intuitive eating movement. Provides strategies for letting go of self-stigma around food and dieting and learning to enjoy food again.
Live to Eat by Emily English
A combination of cookbook and informational text, this book is built on a foundation of treating food like what it is: fuel and energy for your body to do what you want it to do.
Unapologetic Eating by Alissa Rumsey
In a similar vein to Anti-Diet, More Than a Body,and Intuitive Eating, this book chronicles the author's journey to discovering intuitive eating for herself, and her advice on how to learn to eat and enjoy food unapologetically.
Social Media Accounts:
childrensnutritionist on Instagram
Qualifications: Anutr. and BNutr (after some research I believe the second credential is meant to be RNutr.) Basically, she's a Registered Nutritionist.
Education: Probably a Master's degree, since based on the research I did that seems to be the required education for her certifications.
Experience: Unsure, there's nothing immediately obvious on her profile.
childrens_nutritionist on Instagram
Qualifications: Calls herself a nutritionist, does not appear to be a Registered Nutritionist.
Education: Unknown
Experience: Unknown
Personal Note: It looks like she's involved in helping autistic kids get the nutrition they need; based on a quick look and my own knowledge it does seem that she has some idea of what she's talking about.
nourishedbeginnings on Instagram
Qualifications: Early childhood teacher and nutritionist. Once again, no note of being a Registered Nutritionist.
Education: Probably at least an Associates degree or CDA (or whatever the Australian equivalent is) if she's an early childhood teacher, but I can't be certain.
Experience: Unknown.
childrensnutritionpractice on Instagram
Qualifications: Registered Dietitian, specialized in childhood nutrition.
Education: Masters degree
Experience: 19 years of working as a dietitan and has worked at multiple hospitals in the UK.
archildrensnutritioncenter on Instagram
Qualifications: Looks like they're a research center with some Registered Dietitians involved.
Education: Not applicable for the center itself, but they have Registered Dietitians on staff.
Experience: Unknown since it's a center and I didn't find a ton of information about their staff on a cursory search.
Action Items:
Any parent can join their school's PTA or sit in on school board meetings where possible to work with school leaders and advocate for better nutrition policies in local schools. This could include offering healthier choices for school lunches or extending recess time so kids have more time outside. Teachers can also help advocate through these routes.
Anyone can use their existing social media accounts or blogs to raise awareness for children's nutrition. Whether it's talking about existing issues with the systems already in place or raising awareness of resources families can turn to for nutrition assistance, anybody can join the movement to bring about nutritional change.
If you have the money to do so, you can donate foodstuffs to food pantries in your area. Food pantries are a great way for low-income families to access the nutrition they and their children need. Even donating a single case of canned food per month can make a huge difference in a family's life.
Volunteer at a food pantry, homeless shelter, or soup kitchen. Children and families facing homelessness and food insecurity can benefit from your time and efforts even if you lack the money to donate food yourself.
If you're a parent, your own children need good nutrition too! Focus on enjoying a wide variety of foods with your kids and teaching basic nutritional principles. Take them with you when you go grocery shopping and teach them how to meal plan or come up with things to make out of leftovers. If they enjoy their food, they can be a positive influence in helping their peers to be interested in trying new foods too.
If you're a parent, you are a greater influence on what your child learns than anyone else. If you have low self-esteem and struggle with your body image, chances are your kids will pick up on that. If you have healthy body image and high self-esteem, chances are your kids will follow suit. Set the example of how to treat yourself and your kids will follow; this is a great opportunity to help slow the rise of body image issues.
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