Nutrition and Exercise
The importance of physical activity and a diet full of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains cannot be overstated. Following sound nutrition and exercise recommendations not only improves overall health and wellbeing but also prevents cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other chronic health problems. Whether you are looking for information on child and family nutrition, eating in moderation, or living with diabetes, Virginia Cooperative Extension has research-based knowledge and expertise on nutrition and exercise for you. This media kit also has a feature story on a new physical activity program in select Virginia localities, a list of Extension experts on health-related topics, magazine articles, multimedia, and much more.
Latest News
Virginia Cooperative Extension touts health benefits of youth physical activity programs (June 2010)
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that children and adolescents engage in an hour or more of physical activity daily to improve their cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength and reduce their chance of developing chronic health problems in adulthood. Virginia Cooperative Extension offers advice and a number of programs to help youth meet their health and fitness goals.
Experts
| Debbie Jones | Extension health promotion specialist and assistant professor of public health | Virginia State University | (804) 524-5847 | dsjones@vsu.edu |
| Mary McFerren | Project director for Extension’s Family Nutrition Programs | Virginia Tech | (540) 231-9429 | mmcferre@vt.edu |
| Elena Serrano | Extension childhood nutrition specialist and associate professor of human nutrition, foods and exercise | Virginia Tech | (540) 231-3464 | serrano@vt.edu |
News Releases
Extension motivates local residents to stay fit with new, eight-week exercise program (March 2009)
A new, eight-week fitness program will help Virginians improve their exercise habits, diet, and overall quality of life in a fun and challenging way. Virginia Cooperative Extension invites members of the Virginia Tech community and local residents to participate by creating or joining a FIT Extension team.
Virginia Tech nutritionists recommend packing a healthy lunch for kids returning to school (August 2007)
With a rise in the number of overweight children, parents need to be extra vigilant when packing their children’s lunches. From their first day in kindergarten through the last day of their senior year, children need nutritious lunches with fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy products to maintain good eating habits that will last for life and even improve their attention span and academic performance.
Teach children nutrition’s role in a healthy lifestyle (August 2007)
Some of the best lessons a child can be taught are how to cook and how to make smart food choices. With childhood overweight an ever-increasing problem, teaching children food-choice skills is necessary to maintain good health, said Elena Serrano, Virginia Cooperative Extension nutrition specialist at Virginia Tech.
Water is key in keeping body healthy (August 2007)
With warm weather just around the corner, it’s important to remember to keep the body hydrated during the hot days of summer.
New college students settling into choosing foods for themselves (August 2007)
For many college freshmen, the first day of college is the first time in their lives they choose when, where, and what they eat. Suddenly the high school routine of breakfast, lunch, occasional snacks, and home cooked meals change into daily visits to the burger or chicken sandwich emporiums and midnight pizza runs. The daily workout routine of track, basketball, softball, and cheerleading practice is replaced with daily walks to various dining halls and late-night meals while studying.
With moderation, pizza can still be part of a healthy diet (August 2007)
Because people are becoming more health conscious, many are now looking for healthier ways to eat their favorite foods.
A healthy diet and regular exercise are essential for type-2 diabetes sufferers (February 2007)
The American Diabetes Association estimates that more than 20.8 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes and many others are at risk for developing the chronic disease. But with proper nutrition and regular physical activity, a diabetic or borderline diabetic can still maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Publications
Extension has health and nutrition publications on building strong bones, childhood nutrition, low-carbohydrate diets, reading nutrition labels, and much more.
Magazine Articles
Healthy Behaviors Translate into a Healthy Workplace (Innovations, January 2009)
The United States has experienced a dramatic increase in obesity and overweight over the past two decades, and Virginia is no exception. According to a 2007 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four Virginians is obese. A Virginia Tech researcher is bringing the battle against unhealthy weights to the workplace.
Teaching Nutrition … and Much More (Solutions, May 2008)
Most of us have the option to make healthy and nutritious food choices. We may not always eat the way we should, but at least we have the opportunity to make food choices. But what if you didn’t know where your next meal was going to come from because you ran out of food stamps three days ago? Would you even think about whether the food you are eating is nutritious as long as you had food on the table?
Families, Food, and Fun (Innovations, January 2008)
For children to develop a healthy lifestyle, parents and school officials must set positive examples and take proactive steps to help. In response to this need, the “Families, Food, and Fun” program was created to help combat obesity among children and adolescents in local schools.
Healthy Weights for Healthy Kids (Solutions, June 2007)
Most parents would be ecstatic to hear their children ask for a healthy snack instead of ice cream, cookies, or soda when they come home from school. A child and adolescent nutrition education program from Virginia Cooperative Extension has made this dream a reality for many parents throughout the commonwealth.
Living with Diabetes (Solutions, June 2007)
The American Diabetes Association estimates that more than 20.8 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes. With this number increasing every day, community-based educational programs to assist those living with the disease are more important than ever.
Seniors fit physical activity into their daily schedule (Solutions, June 2007)
Getting the recommended amount of physical activity is a challenge and an important goal for everyone, especially seniors. When Joan Wages, family and consumer sciences agent in Patrick County, learned about a curriculum to help seniors find time for physical activity, she jumped at the opportunity to bring the program to her community.
Smart Foods, Smart Grades (Innovations, January 2007)
A youth nutrition program developed at Virginia Tech encourages a healthy diet and physical activity, which studies show may improve academic performance.
Multimedia
Professor studies the dreaded “Freshman 15” (August 2005)
Virginia Tech radio soundline with Kathy Hosig, professor of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise
Kids, snacks, and obesity (April 2005)
Radio news feature with Elena Serrano, nutrition Extension specialist
Vending machines in public schools (February 2004)
Virginia Tech radio soundline with Elena Serrano, nutrition Extension specialist
Virginia Action for Healthy Kids combats childhood obesity (February 2004)
Virginia Tech radio soundline with Elena Serrano, nutrition Extension specialist
All video and audio resources are courtesy of University Relations Office of Visual and Broadcast Communications.
Additional Resources
The U.S. Department of Agriculture maintains MyPyramid.gov, the official website for dietary guidelines and tips for healthful eating practices.
Offered in select Virginia localities from March 29 to May 23, FIT Extension promotes healthy lifestyles in a fun and challenging way. Join a FIT Extension team to stay physically active and increase your fruit and vegetable consumption.
As a part of a national public-private partnership of more than 50 organizations and government agencies representing education, health, fitness and nutrition, Virginia Action for Healthy Kids addresses the epidemic of overweight, sedentary, and undernourished youth by focusing on changes in schools to improve nutrition and increase physical activity.
Many counties and cities have family and consumer science agents with resources on nutrition and exercise. Contact your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office for more information about a program in your area.
Extension also has a directory of Extension experts on all of the topics it covers. If you need help locating a source or looking for additional information, contact Michael Sutphin at (540) 231-6975 or Lori Greiner at (540) 231-5863.