A BATTLE WITH THE BULGE
By Karen Robes
Long Beach Press Telegram Staff Writer
September 16, 2003
BELLFLOWER - Maria Santa Maria didn't quite compare apples to oranges.
Instead, she equated the calories of 40 baby carrots to one measly potato chip and 28 licorice sticks to one-third of a caramel chocolate nut bar -- facts that shocked parents who attended Santa Maria's "On the Go" presentation at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School this week.
"Oh, don't tell me that!" moaned one parent when she heard that two baked potatoes equaled two French fries. But Santa Maria, 44, a project director for the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, said she is on a mission to do just that.
About a year ago with the help of a $2,800 grant from Kaiser Permanente, Santa Maria and five volunteer associates created "On the Go," a local effort to make people aware the dangers of obesity and promote nutrition and physical activity in the community.
About 28 percent of area children are overweight, among the highest percentages in the state, according to the California Center for Health Advocacy 2001 study of California physical fitness test of fifth-, seventh- and ninth-graders. The advocacy studied children living in the former 56th Assembly District, which included Artesia, Cerritos, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, Norwalk and Whittier.
The program, which was presented to 5,000 people last year, was so well-received that Santa Maria is expanding the program to include two teenage groups. These groups, ranging from ages 13 to 18, are working on a rap and dance about nutrition to present to area schools.
At the Bellflower meeting, parents passed around blobs of simulated fat, danced and twirled around the classroom and talked about the battles they have with their finicky eaters.
"I'm always finding new ways to incorporate healthy eating," said Stacey Kramer, a mother of two daughters ages 4 and 8. "It's hard to get kids to eat well. Sixty percent of the time I can get them to eat what I want them to. The other 40 percent is a power struggle."
Santa Maria spoke about the unhealthy eating habits she learned early in life. As a child, her mother insisted that Santa Maria and six siblings clean their plates and not waste food. During high school, she bought burritos at catering trucks between classes. When she married, she grilled chicken in oil and did not know how to steam vegetables.
"It was as simple as putting water in a pan, but I didn't know," she said. "Some of us don't have a clue and there's nothing to be embarrassed about."
Ana Martinez, mother of three children, whose ages range from 12 to 15, said after attending the meeting she plans to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into the traditional Mexican meals she prepares.
"I didn't know you needed five servings (of fruits and vegetables)," Martinez said. "I think we need to know more about what we're eating, and we need to teach our children how to eat better."
Santa Maria, who converted into a health activist after facing some health problems, said she hopes her message comes across to parents and children.
"It makes you want to do it more," Santa Maria said. "The goal is to meet as many people as we can and make a difference in people's lives."
© 2003 Long Beach Press Telegram