STORE MANAGERS TO PUT NUTRITION KNOWLEDGE TO WORK FOR AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION

Grocery store managers will put their nutrition knowledge and shopping skills to the test Saturday as they participate in the American Heart Association's food festival.

Harriett Weeks-Schoolfield, a nurse at St. Francis Medical Center's Heart Institute, is coordinating activities.

Mike Brady of Wal-Mart, Jim D'Amour of Shop 'N Save, Dennis Marchi of Schnucks, and Jim Sterm of Del-Farm will each have five minutes to purchase meals for one day.

The managers will shop at their own stores. Their purchases will be judged on how "heart healthy" the food is. Fat content will be considered, and is supposed to total just 30 percent of calories.

In addition to the race, Weeks-Schoolfield said displays will be set up at each of the four stores with information about reducing fat intake.

Displays are also planned at Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center and area schools.

Heart Association chapters across the country are hosting similar events as part of the food festival. The theme is "Turn Down Your Fat-O-Stat."

"Most American adults eat too much fat each day," said Weeks-Schoolfield. "We recommend that you trim your fat intake to less than 30 percent of your total calories each day, and that less than 10 percent of this fat be saturated fat."

She added that watching fat intake will help individuals cut calories lower cholesterol.