ADA Offers Advice on Food Supply and Safety During a Disaster

As authorities across the United States take part in a five-day exercise this week to test how well emergency teams respond to terrorist attacks, what can the public do to prepare? According to the American Dietetic Association, a nutritious food supply and safe food handling must be a top priority.

Family mealtime influences youth eating habits

Sitting down as a family at the dinner table appears to play an important role in promoting healthful eating among adolescents, according to a study published in the February 2003 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Researchers from the University of Minnesota found that children ages 11 to 18 who ate meals with their family consumed higher amounts of fruits, vegetables, grains and nutrient-dense foods than those who ate separately. Additionally, adolescents who consumed at least seven family meals per week had lower intakes of snack foods than those who ate fewer family meals.