Keyword/Tag: Shreela Sharma

Lisa Helfman and Dr. Shreela Sharma Join Prince Charles and Meghan Markle on Business Insider’s Food 100

Posted on July 25, 2019 by -

 

Houston, TX (July 24, 2019) – Business Insider, the financial and business news website, has published its Food 100, a ranking of the 100 coolest people in food and drink. Included as #60 and #61 are Lisa Helfman and Dr. Shreela Sharma, the co-founders of Brighter Bites, a nonprofit organization that is changing behavior among children and their families to improve long-term health outcomes by providing free fresh produce, nutrition education, and a fun food experience.

“Inspired by the hugely successful Tech 100, Business Insider is launching its first ever Food 100 — a ranking of the 100 coolest people in the world of food and drink, with a particular focus on Europe and North America,” wrote Business Insider. Helfman and Sharma join the likes of Charles, Prince of Wales (#63), Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (#32), George Clooney (#9), and award-winning restaurateurs Clare Smith (#3) and Asma Kahn (#1).

“We are humbled to be joining this impressive group of innovators in the food industry,” said Brighter Bites Founder Lisa Helfman. “For Business Insider to include us among these leaders demonstrates that our evidence-based nutrition education and health promotion program is gaining traction…and living a healthier life through fresh food is really the coolest way to live.”

About Brighter Bites:

Brighter Bites is a nonprofit that creates communities of health through fresh food with the goal of changing behavior among children and their families to prevent obesity and achieve long-term health. Brighter Bites is an evidence-based, multi-component elementary school, preschool, and summer camp program that utilizes reliable access to free fresh produce, nutrition education, and consistent exposure to recipes and messages that feature fresh food.

Each week families and teachers participating in Brighter Bites receive two bags containing ~50 servings of eight to 12 different fresh produce items along with the nutrition education materials. Researchers at UTHealth School of Public Health track the behavior of Brighter Bites families, and their studies show that the Brighter Bites model provides consistent opportunities for children and their families to practice healthier behaviors in school and at home.

Since 2012, Brighter Bites has provided more than 22 million pounds of produce and 100,000s of nutrition education materials to more than 265,000 individuals (including teachers!) in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, and Southwest Florida. The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) recently named Brighter Bites the winner of the 2018 PHA Impact Award. In 2016, Brighter Bites won the Texas Health Champion Award. To learn more visit BrighterBites.org.

 

The following publications covered this story:

And Now U Know

The Packer

The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health

 

Business Insider Taps Brighter Bites Co-Founders for Top 100

Posted on July 15, 2019 by -

We know they’re cool, and now Business Insider does too, naming Brighter Bites Co-Founders Lisa Helfman and Dr. Shreela Sharma two of the coolest people in food drink.

This year, Business Insider launched its first ever Food 100 list, which ranks the 100 coolest people in the world of food and drink.

Check out Lisa and Shreela’s entry here at #60 and #61!

Fruits and veggies are cool! Pass it on!

Happy Thanksgiving 2018!

Posted on November 20, 2018 by -

As Thanksgiving brings us near the end of another Brighter Bites season, we find ourselves reflecting on how thankful we are for our many wonderful volunteers and partners who help us in our effort to create communities of health through fresh food everywhere we go. Learn about our partners here.

MAV Foundation Names Brighter Bites Founders Heroes for Hunger

Posted on May 10, 2018 by -

Brighter Bites is thrilled to announce that our founders, Lisa Helfman and Dr. Shreela Sharma, have been named “Heroes for Hunger” by the Meera & Ashok Vasudevan Foundation (MAVF). MAVF is dedicated to the idea that it is possible to permanently move people out of hunger and malnourishment in a manner that is sustainable, self-reliant and healthy. The organizations also champions the causes and supports the work of those who fight hunger on a daily basis. MAVF designates the “Heroes for Hunger” distinction for individuals whose ongoing efforts have helped those who struggle with food insecurity. Brighter Bites is honored that our founders have been selected as MAVF’s most recent heroes. Read the terrific write up about Brighter Bites here.

Research Shows Brighter Bites Helps Children, Families Eat Healthier

Posted on August 1, 2016 by -

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Shreela Sharma’s paper documenting the benefits Brighter Bites gives to families was published in Preventive Medicine!

Here are a few highlights from the study:

  • Children ate 9% more fruit after participating in Brighter Bites
  • Children ate 20% more vegetables after participating in Brighter Bites
  • Children ate 13% less added sugar after participating in Brighter Bites
  • Brighter Bites improved the home environment of participating families:
    • BB families cook more home
    • BB families serve more fruits and vegetables as snacks
    • BB families eat more meals as a family
    • BB parents have improved understanding of nutrition facts labels and use them to make decisions in the grocery store.

Read the complete paper here.

Houston Chronicle Features Brighter Bites Co-Founder Dr. Shreela Sharma

Posted on January 7, 2016 by -

Shreela Close Up Headshot

Every five years the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) publish a set of dietary guidelines in a report based upon the recommendations of a committee of scientists who are experts in nutrition, health and medicine. The newest report, the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published this month, focuses on making healthy dietary choices to improve and maintain health and prevent diet-related chronic disease. The report makes several recommendations, which can be read here. The five overarching guidelines of the report are:

  1. Follow a healthy eating pattern across the lifespan. All food and beverage choices matter. Choose a healthy eating pattern at an appropriate calorie level to help achieve and maintain a healthy body weight, support nutrient adequacy, and reduce the risk of chronic disease.
  2. Focus on variety, nutrient density, and amount. To meet nutrient needs within calorie limits, choose a variety of nutrient-dense foods across and within all food groups in recommended amounts.
  3. Limit calories from added sugars and saturated fats and reduce sodium intake. Consume an eating pattern low in added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium. Cut back on foods and beverages higher in these components to amounts that fit within healthy eating patterns.
  4. Shift to healthier food and beverage choices. Choose nutrient-dense foods and beverages across and within all food groups in place of less healthy choices. Consider cultural and personal preferences to make these shifts easier to accomplish and maintain.
  5. Support healthy eating patterns for all. Everyone has a role in helping to create and support healthy eating patterns in multiple settings nationwide, from home to school to work to communities.

Brighter Bites Co-founder, Dr. Shreela Sharma, an expert in nutrition, commented on the Dietary Guidelines for an article in today’s Houston Chronicle. In addition to her role on the Brighter Bites Board of Directors, Dr. Sharma is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Texas School of Public Health, where her research portfolio includes her leadership in several nutrition-focused research projects.

Hunger Free Texans Conference

Posted on April 17, 2015 by -

Brighter Bites staff members attended the Hunger Free Texans Annual Conference in Houston this year. We were one of the many booths educating industry professionals on our efforts to keep Houston healthy. The conference afforded us the opportunity to build partnerships with other organizations whose goals mirror our own: improving food literacy and igniting a passion for fresh produce. It was inspiring for us to meet and collaborate with other people who are as equally passionate about keeping our community healthy. Our co-founder Shreela Sharma, PhD RD LD, from the UT School of Public Health presented her research on Brighter Bites. She described how our model incorporates CATCH for promoting healthier environments at school and at home to help fight obesity. Dr. Sharma’s presentation is available here in video format or here in PDF only.