The Healthy Food Slide Rule (HFSR): A Nutrition Education Tool for Children

Elaine Long, Boise State University
Uwe Reischl, Boise State University
Barbara B. Abo, University of Idaho, Cooperative Extension

Article comments

This is an author-produced, peer-reviewed version of this article. The final, definitive version of this document can be found online at Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, published by Elsevier. Copyright restrictions may apply. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2009.07.006

Abstract

The Healthy Food Slide Rule (HFSR) is a new educational tool designed specifically for use by school children in grades 4-6. The HFSR teaches the importance of including the 5 food groups and the importance of complying with appropriate portion sizes as presented in MyPyramid.^{1, 2} The portion size information included in the HFSR combines the healthy eating and physical activity messages offered by MyPyramid for Kids.^{3, 4} The new tool can be easily incorporated into existing math lessons (weights, measures, and fractions), into language arts lessons, or into science lessons.⁵