Researcher Stefani Bardin wanted to get an inside look at what happens in a person's digestive tract when they eat processed verses unprocessed food. So, she equipped some people's insides with cameras, fed one subject gatorade, gummi bears and Ramen, and the other homemade noodles and a hibiscus drink. What she discovered was highly disturbing. Watch this video of Stefani explaining the project and the results it produced. Forewarning, however, you may never eat Ramen...

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Thanks to Catalyst’s Activate: U Mini-Grants, nine schools and community groups have been busy implementing initiatives to make their worlds healthier. We awarded the mini-grants of $1000 late last year, and are beginning to see the programs they’re going towards flourish. Check out the cool stuff going on with each of our nine mini-grant recipients below.1) Madelia High SchoolStudents at Madelia High are using their mini-grant funds to help pay for their new, healthy vending...

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Hopkins School District serves some of the freshest and most nutritious school lunches in the state, thanks in a large part to Bertrand Weber. Weber overhauled Hopkins food service when he held the position of Royale Cuisine director of operations with the district from 2003 to 2006. Now, Minneapolis Public Schools are hoping to benefit from his experience and knowledge. Weber was recently hired as director of nutrition services for Minneapolis Public Schools. City and...

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Good news! All the hard work going into lowering America's obesity rate might actually be working! There is some encouraging news from New York City: obesity prevalance in elementary and middle schoolers has been on the decline. Check out the details in the article below! Inspiring results from New York City By Jeannine Stein, Los Angeles Times / For the Booster Shots blog 3:20 p.m. CST, December 15, 2011 Some encouraging news on the childhood...

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Candy has a way of tempting us from its pedastal in the grocery check out lanes. Nearly all of us have sucuumb to its taunting as we stand there, waiting for the cashier to scan our healthier options. So, in efforts to rid sweets of their appeal and contribute to America's health, some grocers have opted to clear out gum and candy from select check out lines, and replace it with fruits, vegetables and other...

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On October 24, Catalyst members acros the state celebrated Food Day at their high schools. Check out the pics below documenting how they took a stand against sugar-sweetened beverages and obesity!

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Inspired by Catalyst's activism event at the 2011 Summit, Arizona in Action built a giant bar graph in the town of Goodyear, AZ, to demonstrate Arizona's rising obesity rates through the last 30 years. The event was part of Goodyear in Action Day. The graph was partially filled with empty soda cans, to demonstrate soda's role in the skyrocketing obesity rates. Arizona in Action promotes and motivates people of all ages in Arizona towards healthier...

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Our friends over at The Lunch Tray just posted a disturbing but informative infographic on childhood obesity. Check it out.

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On October 24, America will be celebrating the first ever Food Day, a day akin to Earth Day in April. Food Day seeks to bring together people from all walks of life, to push for healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way.  In honor of Food Day, people across the nation are putting on a variety of events, and Catalyst wanted to take part in the fun. So we are! We are sending...

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The Woodbury Bulletin from Woodbury, MN, recently wrote about Catalyst's garden work with Crosswinds Arts & Science School. Check it out below From the garden to the cafeteria September is Farm Month in Minnesota schools, which means school cafeterias are trying to incorporate more farm fresh vegetables into their daily menus. However one Woodbury school has taken it a step farther. By: Amber Kispert, Woodbury Bulletin September is Farm Month in Minnesota schools, which means...

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