Complimentary red apples, ripe bananas and oranges were given to anyone who walked by the table piled high with fruit in the Library Quad today.

The table was part of the Nutrition Jamboree, sponsored by the Sacramento State Food and Nutrition Dietetics Club, which aimed to educate students about healthy eating.

The event was held in conjunction with the American Dietetic Association’s National Nutrition Month campaign, which runs throughout March.

Senior studio art major Ron Lethcoe said he received a free banana because the group was promoting nutrition month through the food giveaway. Lethcoe’s own beliefs about nutrition were simple.

“Eat healthy and that way you don’t have to take diet pills,” Lethcoe said.

In addition to fruit, volunteers offered plenty of health and nutrition literature.

One brochure emphasized that a person should consume five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day for better health and high performance.

Another called “Portion Distortion” described the excess amount of food often served and the equivalent of eating only one serving for different items.

The leaflet stated two slices of a 14-inch pepperoni pizza cut in 12 slices, and a 12-ounce soda would be equivalent to one serving. Anything beyond that would be considered excessive.

The same leaflet contained statistics, such as Americans are the heaviest people in developed countries with 61 percent of Americans being overweight. It also stated that with each decade as we age, we need 100 fewer calories per day.

Leonard Low can be reached at [email protected].