Want to know how much effort it takes pedalling a stationary bike to burn off the 22 calories in a single potato chip?
Such questions are answered at the Food for Health exhibition visiting museums across Canada.
Presented nationally by the Canada Agriculture Museum, the 140 sq. metre bilingual travelling exhibit features hands-on activities, multimedia displays, historical artifacts and graphics. The website, at www.agriculture.technomuses.ca/english/foodforhealth/index.html, looks at how to protect against food-borne illnesses through safe food handling. It also investigates links between diet, physical activity and obesity and illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
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The exhibit’s timing couldn’t have been better for Saskatoon Grade 5 teacher Glenda Osadchuk. Her class spent a morning this month reviewing the exhibit while housed at Saskatoon’s Western Development Museum.
The Saskatchewan Grade 5 curriculum encompasses food, the Canada Food Guide, healthy bodies, body systems and keeping healthy.
“This is really informative. I was impressed. This is a very good exhibit in conjunction with our curriculum,” she said.
As a lunchroom supervisor, Osadchuk sees a range of food choices that students bring to school.
“Some are very good. Some bring their containers with their fruit cut up or the veggies, and some, it’s processed all the time every day.
“The main thing to take away from the experience with the exhibit is just how they can be a healthier person, making better food choices. Some of them don’t make great food choices.”
Reaction from the general public was good, said Warren Clubb, WDM research and library co-ordinator.
This exhibit strikes a good balance between the amount of information, design of presentation and effective communication, he said.
“This exhibit explains the issues with food very clearly. The language is understandable and the ideas presented are easy to understand,” he said. “There are at least five or six topics in the exhibit. Each one could be expanded to be an exhibit in itself but what is there is very clearly laid out and then you can go and find out more.”
Clubb noted the vast amount of produce that is dependent on the transportation network.
“It’s amazing this transportation system that’s out there to bring items to us. It’s not just where the items are produced, but the actual getting them to market. It’s a phenomenal thing and we really take it for granted.”
