Jamie Oliver, UK chef and TV personality, is stirring up awareness about nutrition and health in America with his Food Revolution USA campaign. Jamie’s goal is to improve the quality of food the Americans consume, make better food available in schools, and save America’s cooking skills. On his show, Food Revolution, Jamie is focusing efforts in Huntington, West Virginia, the most obese city in the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Jamie Oliver isn’t the only one who thinks American nutrition needs a turnaround. The First Lady, Michelle Obama is at the helm of the initiative “Let’s Move”, whose purpose it is to eradicate childhood obesity in America. There are four main components in the “Let’s Move” initiative:
- Help parents make healthier choices for their families
- Healthier foods in the schools
- Access and affordability of healthy foods
- Increased physical activity for our kids
For people passionate about facilitating a healthier tomorrow for America, there are ways to participate on a grass roots level.
Mrs. O has suggested small changes that Americans can instigate: smaller portion sizes, saving desserts for the weekend, and replacing sugar-laden drinks with water, milk, and fresh-squeezed juice. “The point is that small changes can make a difference,” Obama told Larry King.
Jamie Oliver encourages those who want to engage in the Food Revolution to sign his petition, learn to cook and share your skills with family and fiends, while becoming aware of what’s in your food. “We need to start cooking again,” says Oliver, “to make sure our children don’t grow up on a diet of processed food, at school or at home, and so they won’t have to battle obesity and diet-related illnesses when they grow up.”
You can make a difference as well. Programs in Nutrition, Cooking and Culinary Arts, Exercise, and Health and Wellness can give you additional education and resources to make a professional impact on the health of the nation. For more information on educational programs available, visit www.mycollegesandcareers.com.
Together we can bring about a healthier America!