LANSING, Mich. — March has been declared Nutrition Month in the state of Michigan by Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program said it is joining with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to remind Michiganders about choosing nutritious foods and getting enough physical activity.
Every year in March, the MDHHS said the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics focuses on healthy eating through National Nutrition Month.
The MDDHS said the theme this year is "Eat Right, Bite by Bite," promoting eating a variety of nutritious foods every day, planning and creating healthy meals each week and the value of consulting a registered dietitian nutritionist.
“Good nutrition is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS. “Combined with physical activity, diet can help people reach and maintain a healthy weight, reduce their risk of chronic diseases and improve their overall health.”
The MDHHS said unhealthy eating habits have contributed to the obesity epidemic in the U.S. with about one-third of adults and approximately 12% of children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 being considered obese.
The MDHHS said having a poor diet is associated with major health risks like heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.
The MDHHS said Michiganders are urged to do the following throughout Nutrition Month and the rest of the year:
• Eat a variety of nutritious foods each day by including healthy foods from all food groups and be sure to hydrate with water instead of sugary drinks.
• Be a smart shopper by reading food labels to find out more about the foods you eat.
• Plan your meals each week by choosing healthy recipes to make and using a grocery list to shop for healthy foods.
• Learn skills to create tasty meals and reduce food waste by transforming leftovers into meals, using the foods already on hand and practicing good food safety.
For more information, click here.
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