<p>On another board I visit, one of the posters was mentioning that their school had a group that periodically set up shop in the dining hall and tried to make the students aware of the calorie/fat content of what they were eating. One poster said they do things like ask the students how much butter or cream cheese they usually put on a bagel, use play-doh to model the approximate size, weigh it, and give the calorie/fat grams information from that. While this seems like it could be a good idea in that it could help prevent things like the freshamn fifthteen (having people realize that if you eat 9 slices of pizza a day, that probably isn’t that good for you), it could also be uncomfortable or annoying for some people with their food choices were publicly announced and criticized.</p>
<p>Obviously it has to be handled with some sensitivity, but I think it’s a great idea. Personally, I wouldn’t be offended to be told that I eat like crap… because I already know that. I also don’t have thin skin that way. But I see how it could offend some people.</p>
<p>I personally would HATE having someone in the dining room bothering me when I want to eat in privacy and peace. As to fat grams and calories perhaps an awareness of carbohydrates (good and bad) and their effects on blood sugar and cholesterol would be even more advisable. Just NOT in the dining room for goodness sake. How about a class or freshman seminar instead?</p>
<p>That is a valid point, I didn’t read the OP well enough and see that it was in the dining halls. Some kind of presentation or seminar would be great… proselytizing in the dining halls not so much.</p>
<p>I think I’d have to see it in action to know. It depends on whether they stay behind a table or something so kids can come up to them, or whether instead they call out to accost someone carrying a bagel, Hey d’you know how much fat that cream cheese has?" for all to hear.</p>
<p>It’s the difference between being there as an available resource to teach students who ask them, versus an improv guerilla theater kind of thing to entertain the crowds. </p>
<p>And remember-- some students are fighting thinness, while others are trying hard to lose weight. You can’t just assume. My D is always trying hard to gain weight on her tiny frame, and she gets just as frustrated when the scale isn’t doing what she wants. How would such a group respond to such a student walking by?</p>
<p>Don’t most kids have a nutrition class at some point in their K-12 education? My kids know more about the good cholesterol and bad cholesterol thing then I do. My son has a group that tries to make the students more aware of wasteful eating. After parents weekend there was a big sign up that said how many pounds of food was wasted and how many hungry people that could have fed.</p>
<p>It would be a good idea to have nutrition information on dining hall foods available in written form–portion size, calories, fat, protein, carbs, etc.-- just like you see on everything you buy at the store. This could be posted with the menu for the day. Or have copies available at the dining hall entrance. People who are interested could read it. Others could ignore it.</p>
<p>And while your at it, how about a fashion critic in the dining halls too? They could walk up to people and ask them if they know those jeans look bad on them.<br>
Anyone ever notice that even McDonald’s provides nutrition information?<br>
They sell salads now too…but don’t you think most people go there, order fries and know that they are bad for you?</p>
<p>As long as it’s voluntary, it’s no problem.</p>
<p>If the nutrition person walks up to a table and says to the people there, “Would you be interested in participating in a nutritional analysis and evaluation of the lunches you have chosen?” I see no problem.</p>
<p>But if the nutrition person walks up to a table and says, “Did you know that you have more than 1,500 calories worth of food on your tray?” that’s too intrusive.</p>
I also don’t have thin skin that way. But I see how it could offend some people.</p>