didnt know exactly where to post this but i thought i might give it a try in here..
ok.. i am studying to be a teacher. i have choosen to teach the smaller kids in science and in doing that i need to teach them about food, health and nutrition...
all the books are going with the lowfat/highcarb approach and so is everything else around here.. today i was planning for my next practice teaching in witch i have to teach about nutrition for a 4th grade class.. it just hit me that i didnt believe a single word in those books.. i felt i would have serious problems standing there teaching kids something i dont believe is true..
if i would begin to teach that atkins or lowcarb for that matter was the way to go i just know that i would hear from the schools headmaster and the parents as well.. it would get ugly im sure..

i dont know if there is really a question in this post but i just wanted to tell about my dilemma and hopefully others would give thier outlook on the situation.. any teachers here with the same problems perhaps?
mylle

i'm not a teacher, and i don't play one on tv, but i can answer you from the standpoint of what i would want to see my kids taught at that age.

considering all the new research and information that's coming out about the benefits of good fats and protein and the increased risks associated with carbohydrates, sticking with the low-fat/low-calorie/high-carb regimen would be like teaching kids how to use typewriters in our world of computers. yes you can learn how to type on a typewriter, yes you can learn the fundamentals of writing letters both personal and professional, but you lose out on how to use the internet, the ins and outs of windows, the data tracking capabilities, etc.

i'd want kids learning about whole foods. i know that seems like a middle-of-the-road, covering-all-your-bases kind of approach, but it also seems "safest" and still able to get your message across. teach them that red meat and fish are full of good fats and amino acids that our bodies can't manufacture for themselves (versus the liver's ability to manufacture glucose), the benefits of low GI and GL veggies, and that processed foods like breads and pastas can be used but in moderation. take them back 150 years and look at not only what people ate then, but what they had to do to have their food in the first place.

there's enough solid evidence floating around that says fats are good and sugars are bad that it shouldn't be hard to come up with a good teaching plan. let us know how it goes .

Maybe you could focus on the the omega 3 fats as a great thing and skim past the low fat nightmare.

I also think K has a good idea. Focus on whole foods especially fish and veggies, which are good no matter which side of the nutritional fence people are on.

I agree with both of the previous posters. But wanted to add that as a homeschool mom, sometimes I have to introduce material to my kids that I don't fully believe in either. The way I present it is that this is the "current popular belief", but that as new things are discovered, philosophies and theories often change. So say, your school wants you to teach the kids about the USDA food pyramid. I would start with a little history on the pyramid. Show how it has changed over the course of years. Teach them what it is right now, and what that means to what you eat every day. And conclude by pointing out new scientific studies that challenge the currently held popular opinion. And then perhaps end it, by having the child read an article (you could even provide a few summarized simple ones, since they are still a little young), and have them reconstruct what the food pyramid might look like under different theories. That teaches them the basics, but also teaches them how to interpret the food pyramid, and to keep an open mind, as science is constantly changing. Good Luck!

I'd focus on what are vitamins and minerals, what are fats, carbs, fiber and proteins, and how these are provided by whole, unprocessed foods. For kids the biggest health threats are lack of vitamins, minerals and fiber because of lack of nutrition in processed foods and lack of variety in their diets.

I wouldn't be teaching anything like low carb or low fat.

Hi, I am a seventh grade science teacher, and I teach the digestive system. I teach what my state standards pretty much tell me to teach; however, when it comes to brainstorming and group discussions, my lessons tend to change. They share, I share, and we tie it all together. It makes it truly meaningful. I dont know if there is a curriculum map or set of standards where you are, but they could be a good starting point. I imagine when they start talking, they will have lots to add.