Cyr cited in MPBN report on obesity among low-income Maine children
Ruth Cyr, an educator with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s Eat Well program, was mentioned in the Maine Public Broadcasting Network report, “Low-income Maine children more likely to be obese.” More than a third of children and adolescents in the U.S are overweight or obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Overweight children are at a higher risk for chronic health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes, as well as mental health issues. Children from low-income families are especially vulnerable, the report states. According to the Maine Children’s Alliance, 30 percent of Maine kids ages 10–17 are overweight. As part of the Eat Well program, Cyr makes home visits to teach parents how to cook nutritious meals on a budget. She encourages families to shift from spaghetti and meat-and-potato meals to soups and stir fries, to stretch the meat and add more vegetables, the report states. “Stick to the nonstarchy vegetables if you can — your broccoli, your carrots, your spinach, your cauliflower, things like that,” Cyr suggested.