HealthBarn USA®, www.healthbarnusa.com, a proven leader in healthy-lifestyle education for children and families, presented at the national Farm-Based Education Association (FBEA), www.farmbasededucation.org, conference in Tarrytown, NY held November 12-14, 2009. HealthBarn USA's integrated curricula were showcased among educators and farmers because of its focus on food and nutrition and its relationship to sustainable agriculture, environmental sciences and animal stewardship for children ages 3-15, particularly at a time when the nation is facing an epidemic of obesity and chronic disease among its youth.
"Nutrition education is outdated and needs to be connected to local farms, and to the cooking and taste experience of fresh seasonal food to be effective in changing behaviors," stated Stacey Antine, MS, RD, Founder and CEO, HealthBarn USA, Inc. "As dietitians, we created dynamic, hands-on healthy-lifestyle curricula that uses the farm as a classroom, but also has been modified to be taught as part of the school day, just like math, English and physical fitness," added Antine.
HealthBarn USA's proprietary curricula is offered at Abma's Farm in Wyckoff, NJ, www.abmasfarm.com, through year-round programs and a summer camp for children, ages 3-15. The curricula also are offered at the Speyer Legacy School, www.speyerlegacyschool.org, in New York City as a 34-week optimal health adjunct curriculum during the school day for gifted and talented children grades K-2. "In our obesogenic environment, we can't expect children to make healthier choices without making food and nutrition education a national priority for both their long- term wellness and to help reduce escalating healthcare costs," added Antine.
Animal characters can play an important role in children's psychological development