8.NPA.2

What does this standard mean a child will know and be able to do?

8.NPA.2.1 Plan healthy personal eating strategies with attention to caloric intake and expenditure.
The average teen girl requires 2200 calories per day to maintain weight. Teen boys need 2500 to 3000 calories. Levels increase or decrease according to the student’s activity. Most people underestimate the calories in foods because of the unseen calories from added sugar, butter, oil and creams, and cooking methods like frying. They often forget to count condiments like mayonnaise and dipping sauces and misjudge a food’s portion size (estimating one portion when it actually is two or three). Beverages, a huge source of added calories, are often forgotten.

Activity is usually over-estimated. Recommended to balance a typical diet is 10,000 steps per day or one hour of moderate activity that elevates the heart rate and burns calories. Many students who do not engage in purposeful activity often take fewer than 2,000 steps per day. (Use a pedometer to check.)

Activity and intake must balance for weight maintenance, and activity must exceed intake calories for weight loss (reversed for gain). One pound of weight equals about 3500 calories, so an adjustment of 250 calories a day is generally needed to affect a half-pound change, up or down in a week. Students can use websites to analyze one day of food values/calories (daily diet log: www.nutritiondata.com/fact-C0001-01c219o.html) and one day of activity values (activity calculator: caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.html). For more details, see Successfully Teaching Middle School Health III, Grade 8, Objective 4.06.

Upon completing the food and activity recalls, students determine if they would maintain, gain, or lose fat if this day were an on-going pattern. They can use the USDA Dietary Guidelines (previous lesson) to plan a more perfect day of food and activity, recalculating to see if there is improvement.
 * The student will describe calorie balance theory and give examples.
 * The student will summarize common errors made when calculating food intake and calorie expenditure.
 * The student will complete a one-day dietary analysis and activity expenditure, determining whether this pattern would result in maintenance, gain or loss.
 * The student will plan a day’s worth of meals and activity that better reflect the Dietary Guidelines and activity recommendations.

8.NPA.2.2 Generate a healthful eating plan incorporating food choices inside and outside the home setting.
Food consumption occurs at home, at school or workplace, and at restaurants, both conventional and fast-food. More nutrient-dense foods, local foods, whole foods, and variety are consumed in homes where families shop at markets, co-ops and whole food outlets. While it is more difficult to eat healthfully in the latter situation, restaurants and institutions are beginning to make positive changes: reduction of trans fats, eliminating supersizing, reducing salt and offering heart healthy, vegetarian and lower calorie choices on their menus. Families need knowledge, advanced planning, and motivation to make wise choices when shopping for groceries and eating out.

When grocery shopping, nutritionists suggest that grocery shoppers select most foods from the outside perimeter of the store: produce (fresh fruits and vegetables): seafood, meat and poultry; milk, cheese and other dairy products; and bread. The only aisles necessary to round out a healthy diet are those with cereals & whole grains foods; beans, seeds and nuts; and canned or frozen fruits and vegetables. Careful selection and preparation of whole foods save money and improve the quality of the family diet.

When eating out, determine the best choices ahead of time by examining the restaurant’s on-line menu. Since restaurant meals are often oversized, share an entree or dessert with friends or take half the meal home. Choose fruit, vegetable sides or baked potato over french fries or onion rings to reduce calories, trans fats and salt. Limit dipping, gravy or cream or glazing sauces—anything added usually means more fat, sugar and calories. Compare food labels on processed and convenience foods, with special attention to the serving size, fat, carbs, protein and fiber content as well as the ingredient list.
 * The student will examine his/her family’s weekly shopping and food prep patterns to determine where it falls on a whole foods---fast/convenience foods continuum.
 * Student will provide effective strategies for shopping and preparing foods at home, or choosing fast, restaurant, or convenience foods that better meet USDA Dietary Guidelines.
 * Given various restaurant menus, the student will order a vegetarian, semi-vegetarian or meat based meal that reflects USDA Dietary Guidelines.