Le Grand Dfi comes to St-Francis Elementary with lessons on healthy eating

Students at St-Francis Elementary School in Richmond, Que. spent Friday learning about nutrition and exercise as part of a Quebec-based program.

Le Grand Dfi chose St-Francis as one of their schools this year. Le Grand Dfi, or the big challenge, is an organization that uses apps and a mobile cycling studio to encourage kids to take interest in their personal health.

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Apps are used tohelp students figure out which foods are high in sodium, fat and sugar.

For student Brendan Landry, that meant learning one of life's hard truths: one of his favourite foods, bacon, is not very healthy.

"Bacon is not good for you, and pudding, and all the stuff with a lot of sugar," said Landry.

Schools don't need to pay to be part of Le Grand Dfi, but they must agree to be part of a larger challenge set by the organization.

After the program facilitators come to the school, the students are supposed to keep track of their exercise over the next few months. The Quebec school that tracks the most exercise wins a prize.