Eat Smart. Play Hard.(TM) is the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) campaign to promote healthy eating and physical activity in children and families. The campaign is targeted toward children 2-18, their parents and other caregivers. This national effort encourages them to adopt behaviors consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Food Guide Pyramid. The campaign focus is on breakfast, healthy snacking, physical activity and balancing eating and activity. In an effort to reach children in a fun and non-threatening way, Power Panther(TM) was developed as the campaign spokescharacter. He spreads messages like “Move More. Sit Less.” and “Power Up with Breakfast” to motivate kids to make healthy choices. Unhealthy eating and physical activity patterns are placing America’s children at risk. Children are heavier than ever and many have eating habits that do not fit dietary guidelines. More than 14 percent of children and 11 percent of adolescents are overweight, and 66 percent of all children eat more fat than recommended. Only one in five children get five servings of fruits and vegetables each day as recommended by the USDA Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children; only one in three participate in physical education. The Eat Smart. Play Hard.(TM) campaign is part of the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service’s (FNS) commitment to combat these escalating national trends of poor nutrition, inactivity and obesity among children. The American Dietetic Association, the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the Society for Nutrition Education, and the YMCA, and other national organizations have endorsed the campaign. The Eat Smart. Play Hard.(TM) campaign is an educational program of the USDA-FNS. For more information about the Power Panther(TM) and the campaign, call FNS at (703) 305-2286. Additional information is available online at www.fns.usda.gov/eatsmartplayhard/ or contact the Meeker County Public Health Agency at (320) 693-5370.
