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The purpose of this newsletter is to provide quick contacts to KNN partner agencies and to other resources that might be helpful to our partners. You should be able to read this newsletter in less than 5 minutes – that’s our goal!

KNN May Newsletter

Welcome to the May 2005 issue of KNN’s email newsletter. Please visit our web site at www.kansasnutritionnetwork.org We are always interested in how our partners are “partnering” to improve nutrition and physical activity education throughout Kansas.
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There are three new links at Hot Topics! In the Social Marketing section we've added two articles. "Social Marketing as a Grant Making Strategy for Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity" from the Sunflower Foundation.

There's also an article from Karen Fitzgerald, "Kansas Food Assistance Campaign" which appeared in Social Marketing Quarterly.

Also new at Hot Topics in the Poverty section is the Minimum Wage Challenge

Check out these new links and articles!

Upcoming KNN Meetings:

May 12th - Wichita - Kansas Nutrition Network

Here’s an exciting upcoming food stamp outreach event. On Monday, May 2 at 8:00 pm in all time zones, the WB television network will air an episode of the show 7th Heaven featuring a story line about food stamp benefits. The episode presents a positive and sensitive message about the nutrition benefits of food stamps for low income people. At the end of the show, the toll free number for the national FSP information line (1-800-221-5689) and the web site for the FSP will be displayed. Contact laura.griffin@fns.usda.gov for more information.

National Hunger Awareness Day is June 7. There are some great ideas on www.hungerday.org

Measuring U.S. Household Food Security
http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/April05/pdf/april05_datafeature.pdf

New Approaches Boost Food Stamp Participation by Elderly People
http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/April05/Findings/ElderlyFoodStamps.htm

The idea of a connection between food stamps and obesity has caught the interest of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the agency recently awarded a $120,000 grant to study the relationship of the Food Stamp Program to the rise of obesity.
http://www.tennessean.com/education/archives/05/03/67893055.shtml?Element_ID=67893055

To thank providers, parents, and families on behalf of all they do, why not celebrate National Provider Appreciation Day on May 6, 2005. Provider Appreciation Day is a non-profit corporation created to support worldwide recognition of child care providers and the valuable work they perform. For more information, call Provider Appreciation Day toll-free at 1-88FIRST-1; write to National Provider Appreciation Day, 568 Parkview Avenue, N Plainfield, NJ 07063-1855; or send e-mail to AppreciationDay2@aol.com; or visit the Web site at http://www.providerappreciation.com

The KidFood newsletter is at available at:
http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/counties/ceplacernevada/newsletterfiles/newsletter568.htm

NUTRITION & YOUR CHILD newsletter is available at www.kidsnutrition.org
The University of California Berkeley Center for Weight and Health has a paper: Weighing the risks and benefits of BMI reporting in the school setting available at: http://nature.berkeley.edu/cwh/PDFs/BMI_report_cards.pdf
Http://www.ediversitycenter.net Go to "Reaching Audiences" section for an excellent piece titled "Keys to Effective Extension Programs with Latino Audiences."

http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/April05/Features/FruitAndVegChoices.htm
Overall, the findings from this study indicate that information does matter—better educated consumers with more nutrition knowledge consume more fruits and vegetables and make more nutritious choices within the category. Information is not, however, the only factor guiding consumer choice, and promotional advice that provides flexible strategies for accommodating a range of preferences and lifestyles may be more effective than nutrition information alone. Householders with large families or picky children may benefit from practical advice on how to accommodate the varied preferences of household members. Promotional efforts also need to consider cultural preferences. For fruit and vegetable promotions to be effective in a diverse society, it is important to examine how variety can be promoted within the context of specific cultures and cuisines.

A new National Action Plan, developed by the Produce for Better Health Foundation calls upon government leaders, schools, supermarkets, restaurants, researchers and others to take action to help consumers meet their fruit and vegetable dietary goals to meet nutrient needs and prevent diet-related diseases. An aggressive approach is needed, with action from an array of stakeholders, to help Americans eat more fruits and vegetables. www.pbhfoundation.org/commcenter

Americans' whole-grain consumption is below guidelines.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/Amberwaves/April05/Findings/WholeGrainConsumption.htm

A new summary, Designing to Reduce Child Obesity, shows the importance of giving children better access to healthy choices for both physical activity and nutrition. Updated versions of Designing for Active Transportation and Designing for Active Recreation present newly published research as well as new charts and graphics. All three can be downloaded from the Active Living Research website, http://www.activelivingresearch.org/index.php/What_We_are_Learning/117

I think our 5 minutes is just about up. Send an email to Karen Fitzgerald kfitzger@ksu.edu if you have information you want to include in next month’s KNN email newsletter.
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