Nutrition Education Promotion

Lighten up Iowa, a statewide program that encourages healthy eating and activity habits, is just one of the things the Nutrition Education Committee encourages the Iowa State Community to participate in.

From January to April 2005, the Iowa Department of Public Health, Iowa Games, and Iowa State University Extension sponsored the Lighten Up Iowa 2005 campaign, encouraging Iowans and Iowa State students to put together teams to compete in the program, which promotes a healthy lifestyle and weight loss through proper nutrition and regular exercise. More information about the Lighten Up Iowa program can be found at: http://www.lightenupiowa.org.

ISU Dining made it fun and easy for students to participate with special information provided in the dining centers and in the residence halls. Special flags were placed on menu items, both on the posted menus and on the food displays themselves to let students know which items they could choose to receive a fruit or vegetable credit in the Lighten Up Iowa program.

In January 2006, ISU will again have an opportunity to participate in an edited version of Lighten Up Iowa with "Get Fit, ISU." Many activities will be planned to encourage students to participate. We hope to see you there!

The Nutrition Education Committee looks forward to sponsoring another great healthy lifestyle activity in 2006! If you have ideas about ways to help promote nutrition in our ISU Dining facilities, email our licensed and registered dietitian at trumpy@mail.adp.iastate.edu.