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Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have a question about nutrition, healthy eating, physical activity or exercise? Email our panel of experts to get the facts straight and find out how you and your family can make positive changes. Our experts will answer selected questions and post them on this page.
Can you share some tips with my family so that we don't overeat at mealtime?
Absolutely! There are lots of little tricks when it comes to portion control and mealtime. Here are a few to try out:
- Have a peice of fruit an hour prior to mealtime so that you don't come to the table starving
- Drink a glass of water before you start your meal
- Try to cook and serve portions that are no larger than your fist
- Eat off of smaller plates
- Cut high calorie foods like cheese and chocolate into small pieces and serve a few pieces at a time
- Include high fiber foods and whole grains in your meal, they will fill you up faster
- Aviod buffets and all-you-can-eat meal options
Can you help me make sense of all the labeling for Organic food products?
Effective October 2002, manufacturers using organic labeling on their products were required to follow the National Organic Program guidelines. There are four levels of allowable organic labeling claims under the guidelines, described below.
100% Organic: All of the ingredients are certified organic in compliance with the National Organic Standards. The producer can use the USDA seal, call the product Organic and use the claim "100% Organic" on the packaging.
Organic: 95% or more of the ingredients are certified organic in compliance with the National Organic Standards. The remaining 5% of ingredients must be listed on the National Organic Standards (NOS) Approved List. The producer can use the USDA seal and call the product Organic.
Made with organic: 70% or more of the ingredients are certified organic in compliance with the National Organic Standards. The producer may state on the front panel of the packaging that certain ingredients are organic, but is not permitted to use the USDA Organic seal.
Organic Ingredients listed in the ingredients panel: Less than 70% of the ingredients are certified organic in compliance with the National Organic Standards. These products cannot be called organic or use the USDA seal. The label may list specific organically produced ingredients on the side panel of the package but may not make any organic claims on the front of the package.
Help! My 4 year old son is a picky eater and refuses to try new foods. How can I persuade him to change his mind?
Lots of parents have this question; for some children tastes change with age, for others these tips may work. Keep in mind, children often need at least 10 exposures to a new food before they accept it, so be persistent!
Introduce a new food in a neutral manner. Talk about the food's color, shape, size, aroma and texture - but not about whether it tastes good. Your son may want to touch and smell new food before he tastes it
Make sure you are eating the food you want your son to eat. Children often mimic their parents, so the more frequently you eat a particular food, the more likely your child will be to eventually try it.
Get your son involved with food shopping and preparation. He may get excited about a new food if he helps to pick it out and serve it to the family. Don't overload your son with to many new foods at once. Place a small portion of the new food on your son's plate next to foods he already enjoys. Make the new food fun and interesting. Try serving it with a dipping sauce or cutting it into different shapes.
I often hear people use the term BMI. What do the initials stand for and how is it different from standard weight?
Body mass index, or BMI, is a new term to most people. However, it is the measurement of choice for many physicians and researchers studying obesity. BMI uses a mathematical formula that takes into accounts for both a person's height and weight. For more information about BMI, please visit our BMI calculator section.