uOttawa students launch #Snacks4Santa to promote healthier holidays
CBC News | Posted: December 12, 2015 10:30 AM | Last Updated: December 12, 2015
Social media campaign targets obesity among children, adults
It's the fat-fattiest time of the year.
So a group of medical students at the University of Ottawa has launched a healthy eating campaign called #Snacks4Santa to encourage people to make more nutritious snacks during the holiday season.
The social media campaign targets obesity in children and their parents. It challenges them to:
- Make a healthy holiday snack involving two or more of the four main food groups.
- Take a photo of the snack.
- Share the photo on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #Snacks4Santa.
- Tag their family and friends to spread the word.
Organizer Sadaf Arbab-Tafti says their message is about moderation.
"I don't think it's the idea that you can't have cake and cookies. I think that's totally allowed during the holidays and even on a day to day bases. I think it's the idea that, why is it that we have to leave cookies for Santa? Why can't it be a healthy snack that we make together as a family?" she asked.
Arbab-Taft says they're trying to change the idea that Santa should have a belly that shakes like a "bowl full of jelly."
"We thought this could actually happen for the holidays because honestly it would be targeting kids. It's at a young age. You're putting out healthy snacks let's say for someone like Santa, who is a role model. It probably makes an impact when you're growing up as to the choices you're making."