News - News releases
October 26, 2009
Sixth annual statewide school-based event promotes fruits and vegetables
Apple Crunch activities engaged more than 220,000 Pennsylvania youth in 2008
HERSHEY, Pa. – Fruits and vegetables are nature's fast food; and on Wednesday, October 28 school students across the state will participate in lessons and activities in celebration of Apple Crunch 2009.
Supported by National Apple Month, Pennsylvania Apple Marketing Board and Appeeling Fruit, the sixth annual Apple Crunch celebration encourages youth to make fruits and vegetables a regular part of a healthy, balanced diet.
Apple Crunch is a program of the Center for Nutrition and Activity Promotion at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital (Center). The event is held each October during National Apple Month and schools celebrate by featuring apple recipes during lunch, holding apple tastings, leading storybook readings of "Johnny Appleseed," and visiting local farmers' markets.
The 2007 Youth Risk Surveillance Survey, conducted by the CDC, found that 79 percent of youth do not eat 5 servings of fruits or vegetables each day1.
"Over the past five years, Apple Crunch has been very successful in teaching Pennsylvania youth the importance of eating fruits and vegetables," commented Center PR Manager Danielle Sunday. "Schools, community youth organizations, local grocery stores and the apple industry have worked together to collectively promote apples and apple products as a healthy snack."
During the 2008-09 school year, more than 600 Pennsylvania schools celebrated Apple Crunch reaching approximately 224,000 students. A survey of schools conducted by the Center in the spring of 2009 found that 63 percent of schools have efforts in place to purchase Pennsylvania produce as part of their efforts to provide healthy options to students.
1Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2007, CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm
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The Center for Nutrition and Activity Promotion at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital works collectively with state and national partners to conduct research, develop programs and evaluate promising obesity prevention practices. Since 2003, this important work has been translated into programs and events implemented by the state network Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and Activity (PANA). For more information about the Center and its programs, please visit www.nrgbalance.org.
“The stellar interaction between the Center and administrators at six PA public schools led to a very successful week-long health ride. I enjoyed working with the Center and would highly recommend them as partners in any future projects.”
