You've probably seen or heard the public service announcements touting the American Cancer Society (ACS) as the Official Sponsor of Birthdays. In an effort to celebrate life and the progress in the fight against cancer, the ACS has created a campaign to encourage people to declare the ACS the official sponsor of their birthday and help raise money to continue to find cancer cures.

Because a birthday's not much without cake, the ACS teamed up with The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) to create a better-for-you birthday cake. CIA baking and pastry students were challenged with creating a healthy, reduced-calorie cake, which would be judged by CIA alumni and star of Food Network TV's Ace of Cakes, Chef Duff Goldman. Students were required to submit a regular cake recipe along with a description of how the new recipe used more healthful baking ingredients and/or substitutions to improve on the traditional birthday cake. In addition, the recipe had to be easy to make.

Chef Duff and the ACS chose Alexandra Mudry's red velvet cake as the winner and has made her cake the official birthday cake of the American Cancer Society. Her cake is a healthier version of a red velvet cake that delivers lots of taste but much less sugar and fat than a traditional recipe. In addition to cutting back on sugar, eggs, oil and butter, Mudry's inventive additions - including roasted beets, dried cherries, applesauce and whole grain flour - help kick the nutrients up a notch.

To learn more about the ACS's The Official Sponsor of Birthdays campaign go to: http://www.morebirthdays.com.

To see the finalists of the better-for-you birthday cake competition and download the winning recipe go to: http://www.morebirthdays.com/morebirthdays/cake_contest.asp.

Celebrate your life and health this year by making your birthday celebration calorie balanced! Serve reduced-calorie foods and "activate" your gathering by planning games that gets people moving!

I don’t know how many of you out there are fans of the summertime reality TV show, “So You Think You Can Dance.”  I sure am.  And if you watched it last week, you’d know why.  Two of the contestants performed a dance about a woman dealing with breast cancer that was emotional, inspiring, and powerful.  Sorry, but the link to the YouTube clip of the dance has been removed because of a copyright claim by the prducution company.  You can tune in on Wednesday nights for the next two weeks to catch the remaining dancers dance their hearts out!

We focus on calorie balance in the Stand Up & Eat blog.  And dancing is a great way to burn calories.  For sure, the dancers on the SYTYCD show burn a LOT of calories each week as they rehearse and perform their different couple and solo routines. 

But I’ll bet you that not a one of the dancers thinks about how many calories they have burned with each practice session.   No, they are dancing because they have a passion for dance as a creative, artistic outlet.  They are expressing themselves through movement. 

So my wish for you as you look for ways to be more physically active (and yes, burn more calories) is to simply do what moves you.  You will have more fun and stick with it longer, hopefully for a lifetime.

What moves you?

KaBOOM, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing play back into children's lives, recently released its third annual list of "Playful City USA" communities. To make this list, communities must make creative commitments to the cause of play in the areas of quantity, quality and access.

Quantity relates to the number of usable, open playspaces. For example, the Indianapolis Parks and Recreation department is conducting a study that would involve converting abandoned housing and vacant lots and turning them into urban mini parks.

Quality involves subjective factors that encourage repeated use and make playspaces engaging, exciting, interesting, and fun. For example, the San Francisco Neighborhood Parks Council (SFNPC) developed a Playground Report Card, which analyzes and rates playspaces in San Francisco. The Report Card gave letter grades to all the playgrounds, with the San Francisco Parks and Recreation department and SFNPC then taking action by bringing all the failing parks up to standard.

Access entails the ability to get to a playspace (roads, trails) and a lack of barriers to the playspace (cost, safety, traffic, locked gates, equity). For example, the New York City Parks and Recreation Department will break ground and revamp 221 playgrounds that require improvement throughout the City, while also targeting underdeveloped destination parks for each borough in 2009. This City is also working toward the creation of a public plaza in every community in partnership with non-profit groups, particularly in neighborhoods that lack open space.

93 communities across the United States made the "Playful City USA" list. Was yours one of them? Click here to find out. If not, click here to find out how KaBOOM can help build or improve a playspace in your neighborhood.

Increasing opportunities for active living is one of the tenets of the Stand Up & Eat web site.  About a year ago, when gas prices were at an all time high, we blogged about how energy efficient bicycle riding is compared to using a car – even a hybrid. In another blog, we linked to a video that showed that commuting by bike can be faster than public transportation and private car. And we have hinted that active commuting is a healthier way than driving to get to where you want to go.

Now there is proof.  Well, sort of.

Last week, a paper published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that the adults who reported walking or riding a bike as part of their commute to work were more physically fit (duh!) than those who used other means of transportation¹.   Plus, the active commuting men had lower BMI, obesity, blood pressure, triglyceride and insulin levels than men who did not use active means to get to and from work.  The active commuting women did not show similar differences in these health measures probably because they did not commute on foot or by bike as far as the active men did.

This is great, affirming news.  The “sort of” part comes when considering the study design.  Researchers looked at data collected as part of the prospective CARDIA study.  After tracking the study participants for many years, they teased out those who were active commuters and those who were not.  Then they compared the two groups on the various health parameters described above.  They tried to statistically account for as many confounding variables (e.g., age, race, income, smoking, and other physical activity) as possible.  Still, there remains the possibility that the active commuters were healthier to start with and thus, were more likely to choose health-promoting behaviors  such as burning calories via active commuting.  Additional studies are needed to see if couch potatoes who become active commuters do actually reduce their health risks.

Nonetheless, this study is important because it shows:

• A positive association between a lifestyle physical activity – commuting by bike or walking – and health.
• A significant opportunity for boosting the number people who actively commute.  Only about 17% were classified as active commuters in this study.  That means over 80% of Americans could potentially improve their cardiovascular risk factors simply by moving their bodies more – and their cars less – on their daily commute.

If this new study is just what you needed to dust off your bike and map out a route to work, check out our blog posting on being bikeable. You’ll find lots of links about safe biking, commuting tips, and the top 10 bikeable cities.

In the comments section below, share how you plan to burn calories on your commute to work.

¹ Gordon-Larsen P, Boone-Heinonen J, Sidney S, Sternfeld B, Jacobs DR, and Lewis CE.  Active Commuting and Cardiovascular Disease Risk:  The Cardia Study.  Archives of Internal Medicine.  2009;169(13):1216-1223.

The Stand Up and Eat web site supports mindful eating - eating when you're physically hungry and stopping when you're full - as opposed to eating for psychological reasons (e.g., stress, excitement, etc.) or outside triggers. A major trigger for eating when not truly hungry is smelling or seeing food. So how might you limit this trigger? Keep your food in just one room of your house - your kitchen. And think about whether you are truly hungry before you open your refrigerator or pantry.

Recent studies conducted by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University support this recommendation¹. Researchers tested the effects of television commercials on snacking behaviors in both children and adults. In one experiment, elementary-school-age children watched a cartoon that contained either food advertising or advertising for other products and received a snack while watching. Results showed that children consumed 45% more snack food when exposed to food advertising! 

In another experiment, adults watched a television program that included food advertising that promoted snacking and/or fun product benefits, food advertising that promoted nutrition benefits, or no food advertising. The adults then tasted and evaluated a range of healthy to unhealthy snack foods. Results showed that the participants consumed more of both healthy and unhealthy snack foods following exposure to snack food advertising compared to the other conditions.

What was interesting was that food advertising increased consumption of products not in the presented advertisements, and these effects were not related to reported hunger or other conscious influences.

By bringing food into your television rooms and/or going to the kitchen for snack after watching food advertisements you are very likely to fall victim to a powerful trigger for mindless eating. The first step in breaking this trigger is recognizing it. Then, you can avoid it by finding something to do other than eating like taking a walk, calling a friend, or picking up a book when the urge arises.

Do you fall victim to food advertising? 

¹ Harris, J.L. (209).Priming effects of television food advertising on eating behavior. Health Psychology, 28(4), 404-413.

101 degrees.  Ugh!  And it is only the middle of July.

Summer is upon us.  And here in Texas, that means you stay indoors – a lot.  This can be a problem because when you hide inside you’re closer to the fridge and the Laz-E-Boy.  Calorie balance can get really out of whack in the summer in the south.  Here are ways you can get up and/or get out during the hot months.  Remember, when it’s hot outside, your body needs more water.   Make sure you stay well-hydrated whether you choose to move indoors or outdoors. 

Indoor at Home
Pop in a favorite physical activity video or DVD and start moving.  Get a couple so that you can change up your activities to prevent boredom or overuse injuries.  Be sure to pick ones that meet your interests, goals, and fitness level.

Or click on over to FitTV for a great assortment of physical activity programs.

Home exercise equipment is an option for some people.  Be sure to do your research before you sink a lot of money into equipment.  The Consumer Reports website is a good place to get unbiased reviews and information.  You can get basic info from the site before you have to subscribe but the $26/year fee is well worth it.

Indoor Away from Home

• Fitness centers are an obvious option but can be expensive.  You may be able to negotiate a summer membership to keep costs down.
• Shopping malls offer cool temps, safe environment, and stimulating sites (well, if you’re a shopper which I am not).  Try to take a route that bypasses the food court so your trip to the mall burns more calories than you eat!
• Indoor climbing walls are fun for people of all ages and fitness levels. 
• Office buildings are not just for working.  Take regular breaks to stretch, climb stairs, and move around during your workday.
• Skating and laser tag are ways to get moving without thinking much about what you are doing.
• The dance studio is a great place to pick up some new steps and burn calories.

Outdoor

Bicycling is a good way to beat the heat – well, sort of.  You feel cooler when riding because of the breeze and the evaporation of your sweat.  But it can be deceptive because your body is generating a lot of heat as the muscles work.  So wear light-colored clothing and helmet and be sure to drink lots of fluid to prevent dehydration.

Water and splash parks and community pools are for the whole family so don’t plan on sitting on the sidelines while your kids have all the fun.

What are ways that you stay physically active in the summer heat?

Food marketers have been blamed over and over for the rise in obesity among U.S. children. Television advertising, in-school marketing, product placements, kids clubs, toys and products with brand logos, and Internet web sites are just some of the channels used by marketers to reach kids and influence their food "wants" and purchases. In 2006 the Institute of Medicine concluded that, among children aged 2 to 11 years, television advertising influences food preferences and purchase requests for high-calorie, low-nutrient foods, patterns that are linked to childhood obesity. And a recent study conducted at Georgetown University¹ showed that advergames (online computer games developed specifically to promote a brand, often featuring logs and characters) that promote products of low nutritional value do lead to selection and consumption of less healthy foods and beverages.

While a number of organizations (Children's Advertising Review Unit of the National Council of Better Business Bureaus, the Federal Communications Commission, and the Federal Trade Commission) are working to impose regulations on advertising to children, some educators and public health practitioners are actually giving the food marketers a little credit for their effective tactics and stealing some of their ideas!

After concluding that advergames do influence eating behaviors, the same researchers from Georgetown University tested whether playing an advergame that rewarded kids for having their computer character choose bananas and orange juice instead of cookies, chips, and soda, would promote healthier food choices and consumption patterns. Results showed that the children who played the healthy version of the game before selecting a snack were significantly more likely than those who played the unhealthy version to choose a banana and orange juice instead of potato chips and soda.

Clearly, children can be swayed to make healthy choices if the method of persuasion is right. So, why continue to educate kids with posters and worksheets when they are so much more excited about interactive games and other new media? Guess it comes down to dollars - marketers for large food companies have much larger budgets than government-funded social marketers!

Here are some free, health-promoting online games that you might encourage your children to play on a rainy day:

• MyPyramid Blast Off: http://www.mypyramid.gov/kids/kids_game.html
• Nutrition Explorations: http://www.nutritionexplorations.org/kids/main.asp
• Dairy Council of California: http://www.dairycouncilofca.org/Tools/KidsLearningTools.aspx
• Produce for Better Health Foundation: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=1423 

Do you have others to add?

¹Pempek, T.A. (2009). Use of advertising to promote consumption of nutritious foods and beverages by low-income african american children. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 163(7), 633-637.

Last week I gave you links to senior-focused physical activity resources.  This week we are going to jump to the other end of the age spectrum – infants, toddlers, and pre-school age children. 

Babies and little kids???  You bet!

Just  as we have said that you are never too old to start being more active, you’re never too young.  But with children of this age, the focus of physical activity is less on calorie burning and more on motor skill development, bonding with caregivers, and learning the enjoyment of movement, and active play.   

Infants and Toddlers

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics¹, there is little evidence that exercise programs for infants or toddlers help increase physical activity or prevent the development of obesity.  Babies get plenty of exercise learning to sit up, crawl, walk and run.  So the AAP recommendation is for parents to encourage play time and play spaces that are minimally structured.  And take it outside.  For example, you can put your baby in a stroller or backpack and go for a walk or hike or to local parks, zoos, or children’s museums.

Your baby can help you get more physical activity, though.  At the same time, you encourage bonding.  Here are several resources that can turn your child into a “mini motivator” for physical activity.

• Stroller Strides
• Mommy and Baby Fitness

Remember, too, the AAP also recommends that children less than 2 years not watch any television.  So as hard as it might be, try not to use it as an electronic babysitter.

Preschool-Aged Children (4-6) years

Play, play, play!  That’s what preschoolers want and need to do.  The AAP recommends running, swimming, throwing and catching, and tumbling on safe surfaces with direct supervision.  It is also a good time to get your kids out of the stroller and on their feet walking – for a reasonable distance, of course.  The key here is to help young children explore, experiment with, and of prime importance, enjoy physical activity.  Here are only a few ways to start your kids off on the right physical activity foot.

• Gymboree
• The Little Gym 

Check with your local YMCA, youth centers, recreation departments, and other community resources for other play programs for this age group.  Don’t forget the convenience of local parks, school yards, and the backyard!

And -- you knew it was coming -- limit your child's screen time to less than 2 hours per day.

So for little ones, physical activity is not about burning calories.  It’s about building a healthy foundation.  You can help by setting an active example yourself and encouraging active play every day.   

How will you and your child play today? Share your ideas in the comments section below.

¹ American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness and Council on School Health.  Active healthy living:  Prevention of childhood obesity through increased physical activity.  Pediatrics.  2006;117:1834-1842.

Each evening as I drive home from work, running errands, or playing at the park with my son I'm faced with the dreaded question... "What's for dinner?" Ugh. Something simple. Something healthy. And something fast. But not fast food.

Whether you have one mouth to feed or a whole family of mouths, the answer to this question doesn't have to be difficult to come up with. There are many (almost too many) places to look for simple, healthy, and fast recipes that can often be made with the meat and fixings already in your kitchen.

Here is a collection of recipe web sites that The Cooper Institute staff frequently use to make meals that our families will eat:

All Recipes (www.allrecipes.com) - click on "Recipes" on the top navigation bar, then "Healthy Cooking" at the bottom of the left navigation bar for healthy appetizer, main, and side dish recipes as well as recipes for specific "diets" (low-calorie, high-fiber, low-fat, etc.).

Cooking Light (www.cookinglight.com) - healthy recipes and cooking tips (including videos) for every occasion.

Eating Well (www.eatingwell.com) - click on "Recipes" on the top navigation bar and search for meals that are everything from family-friendly to fast to perfect for two.

Food Network (www.foodnetwork.com) - click on "Healthy Eating" on the top navigation bar for a variety of low-fat, low-calorie recipes.

Health (http://eating.health.com) - click on "Healthy Eating" on the top navigation bar for healthy recipes and cooking and shopping tips.

Plan ahead and choose five to seven recipes to try over the course of a week (and shop accordingly) or browse for a recipe just minutes before you need it. 

What's your favorite resource for healthy, tasty recipes?