Courtesy of DC Central Kitchen (via Flickr)
Video technology is now being used to curb childhood obesity. A new project in 5 San Antonio elementary schools will monitor the amount of calories students consume everyday.
The research project, funded by a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, would photograph students lunch tray before they sit down to eat. Then it would take a picture of the leftovers. A computer program would then calculate the amount of calories each student consumed. Parental consent is required in order for a child to participate in the program.
In Bexar County, where the study is located, 33% of children living in poverty are obese. But it’s important to note that 44% of the children in these studies consumed less than the daily required calories, but nearly one-third were still obese.
The hope is that by monitoring what children eat, schools can better provide nutritious meals to students and improve the eating habits of kids at school and at home.
