One of the toughest sells of healthy eating in Louisiana is putting aside the rich, flavorful foods the region is known for. Cooking methods, seasonings, and traditional ingredients, have become a staple for many families.
"If we can get parents to understand the reason to make changes, that a healthy lifestyle is helpful in preventing chronic diseases, they can teach their children and we can change the family," says Donna Davis, a nutritionist with the Department of Health & Hospitals.
Davis says a number of young mothers she works with don't see a problem with their weight. She feels helping them understand the long-range effects of a consistently poor diet is a starting point to creating better habits.
Davis serves as a panelist Tuesday during KEDM's Policy And A Pint. A discussion on obesity begins at 5 p.m. at the Fieldhouse on Highway 165 in Monroe.