Battling obesity, one classroom at a time

LAYTON -- Sandra Bradshaw is not a "home ec" teacher. She teaches Family and Consumer Sciences, and the field is no longer as fluffy as it was once thought to be.

Bradshaw, who teaches Food and Nutrition at Legacy Junior High School in Layton, said FACS classes -- categorized as "home economics" prior to 1994 -- are now focused on solving real issues and providing tools to help alleviate social problems such as obesity.

Bradshaw said the public should think twice before they judge FACS classes as being "soft."

"We're making a difference in these classes," she said. "If kids know what they're eating and know what it means, why it's unhealthy, we could alleviate some of these problems. It's so simple, but so complex. We eat, but we don't think about what we're eating."

That may be why nutrition often seems complex to students -- they are not used to thinking analytically about what they are eating. Many students do not think to look at nutrition labels for fat content or to substitute skim milk for whole.

It is something Bradshaw wants to change.

"I can teach them all these things," she said. "I want to teach them these concepts through cooking, so they can go home and apply what they've learned in their everyday lives."

She does that by showing her students that cooking can be both heathy and fun.

Her students might learn to make basic desserts such as cookies or cobbler, but they learn substitutions they can make to lessen their caloric and fat intakes.

One day, they could make stir-fry, but by substituting brown rice for white, they modify their dish to add fiber.

"There is evidence that when teens take classes like these, they make wiser decisions," Bradshaw said. "If you teach someone to cook and they develop that skill, when they're on their own. they are more likely to develop healthy habits."

Those are habits that will hopefully last them a lifetime. Education is the first step in a long-term battle against obesity, according to Bradshaw.

"The government comes out with dietary guidelines every five years, but I doubt if most people know what they are," she said. "I can't think of a better way for people to get that knowledge than through education. It's the best tool we have to combat a growing problem."

Growing, indeed. As of the 2010 census, 33.8 percent of adults in the United States are obese. Among children and adolescents, 17 percent are obese.

While Utah has one of the lowest obesity rates in the nation at 22.5 percent, that rate has increased by 128 percent in the past two decades. Childhood obesity in Utah is also lower than the national average, at 11.4%, but that number, too, has increased steadily over recent years. Obesity is estimated to cost Utah more than $393 million a year.

But can education really impact these statistics?

"Absolutely," Bradshaw said. "The government has all of these amazing tools, like MyPlate, but how do you get that information out to the public? Through education. Through classes like mine."

"You pass it on to the students, and they lead healthier lives," she continued. "Maybe they influence their parents to live healthier lives ... I hope so. If they get the principles I'm teaching, they'll teach others by example."

Part of teaching others to be an example is being an example herself. Bradshaw said her students motivate her to lead a healthy lifestyle because she has realized they are watching her to see if she makes nutritious decisions.

She said she once purchased a chocolate bar at a vending machine, only to hear a student say, "You're not being healthy!"

"I've started keeping fresh fruits and vegetables on my desk," she said with a laugh. "And I have a big water jug."

It is the subtle things, like keeping fresh vegetables handy and encouraging students to drink water, that can make a big difference, Bradshaw said. By teaching students proper nutrition and showing them being healthy can be fun, America can begin to combat the rising tide of obesity.

"These classes are so much more than just fluff," she said. "They can make such a difference -- there is so much application here. If I can help break down that stereotype by teaching kids about problems like obesity and how they can prevent it, I'm going to do it."

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