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News Release

Last modified: Monday, March 5, 2012

Celebrate National Nutrition Month at IU Bloomington with 'picture perfect' meals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2012

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A coalition of health and nutrition professionals at Indiana University Bloomington wants to see what's on the plates of fellow employees and students -- especially if it's good for them.

In recognition of National Nutrition Month, the coalition is encouraging the campus community to make healthful food choices by sharing information about new federal dietary guidelines, conducting a photo contest to showcase nutritious and tasty meals and offering free nutrition counseling.

"With March being National Nutrition Month, this is a great time for employees to take a moment to think about what they put on their plates -- and whether that is in line with their nutrition goals," said Elin Grimes, a registered dietitian with the IU Health Center and Healthy IU, the university's health and wellness program.

The coalition includes Healthy IU, IU Health Center, IU Athletics, Residential Programs and Services and the Office of Sustainability.

A key component of the Get Your Plate in Shape informational campaign is a photo submission contest. Students, faculty and all employees on the Bloomington campus are encouraged to submit a photo of their breakfast, lunch or dinner, accompanied by a brief description of how the plate matches up with MyPlate, the federal government's newest dietary guidelines. These guidelines essentially call for half of a plate filled with fruits and non-starchy vegetables, a quarter of a plate containing protein-rich foods, and the rest filled with starchy foods. The meal should include a calcium-rich food. Information about MyPlate can be found here.

Photos can be submitted directly to Facebook or emailed to healthyu@indiana.edu. The Facebook site already contains a diverse array of dishes.

Health Center dietitians will select four participants to receive prizes in the following categories: most colorful plate, most seasonal plate, best description of meal and a random drawing.

"Balanced nutrition, in addition to regular activity, contributes to overall physical and mental wellness," Grimes said.

Other activities throughout the month include a limited number of free nutritional counseling sessions for employees on the IU Bloomington campus. A registered dietitian can answer questions and help employees make more healthful nutrition choices. Employees can schedule a one-hour session by contacting Grimes at ecgrimes@indiana.edu or 812-855-4948.

For more information, contact Patty Hollingsworth, director of Healthy IU, at 812-855-7859 or pwhollin@indiana.edu, or Elin Grimes, IU Health Center, at 812-855-4948 or ecgrimes@indiana.edu.

About National Nutrition Month

Initiated in 1973 as a weeklong event, National Nutrition Week became National Nutrition Month in 1980 in response to growing public interest in nutrition. The recently released 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend an increased focus on a plant-based diet. This, along with including lean meats, fish, poultry and low-fat milk and dairy products, creates a rainbow of colors on the plate that serve as the foundation for a healthful eating plan. National Nutrition Week is developed and promoted by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

About Healthy IU

Healthy IU, Indiana University's employees' program for health and wellness, is an umbrella program designed from the bottom up with programming that is customizable to individuals and campuses. Healthy IU has initiated and will continue to foster raising awareness, assisting in skills building, ensuring social support, ensuring environmental support and advocating for systems that provide quality services and continuity of care.

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