Finding Nutrition in Lewis County:A closer look at our food environment

Marie Milliren Tucker, MPH, RD, CNHealth Educator

Lewis County Public HealthMarie.tucker@lewiscountywa.gov

Personal Disclosures• Not an extremist…• Not the food police…• Registered Dietitian/Certified Nutritionist• MPH in Nutrition• Health Educator• Group Fitness Instructor• New to WA… still learning about food/Lewis Co.• Food lover… casual cook… simple farmer• …all of these in my most humble opinion!

Objectives

• MO: motivate you to find better nutrition in Lewis County – for your body, the economy, and the earth… and maybe inspire a new career or special interest! – Review recent food trends– Describe the role of diet and health– Discuss critical intervention ideas

• Reveal how nutrition/food impact: policy writing, community development, land use, schools, people across the lifespan…

Food History

• “The way we eat has changed more in the last 50 years than in the previous 10,000… But the image used to sell the food is still the image of agrarian America….” 1

Food History: A Brief Review

• Early American Food2

• Based on traditions and cultures• Supported by the seasons, and ability to grow various

foods• Limited preservation methods (salting, pickling, smoking,

drying) and transportation system• Local/regional food dominated the plate• Nothing to support “convenience foods”• Social/Family life favored home-grown and home-cooked

meals

Food History: A Brief Review (cont.)

• Industrialization (and refrigeration) 3

helped change our food climate• As cities grew – so did the distance b/w

consumer and food source• More people working away from home• Factories: canning, preserving, distributing

= mass production, mass marketing, product standardization

• Advent of fast food 4 (Automat, NYC, 1912… White Castle, Wichita, 1921… ) And convenience foods…• Finger foods… to be eaten on the go• From small burgers/fries… to “you name it!”

Food History: A Brief Review (cont.)• Government implements food regulation programs…

and subsidized food programs (NSLP 1946, WIC, CACFP, TEFAP, SNAP) – changed the way our “commodity crops” are used and promoted 5

• Bigger problems: • Who knows how to cook anymore?• Who knows what foods are nutritious?• Who knows that big food corps don’t support small farms?• Who cares about small farms anyway?!

Lewis County Farm Stats 6

1950: 461 acres /farm

2007: 76 acres /farm

Problems• Nearly half the money Americans spend on food

is spent on food prepared away from home 7,8

– Lower in nutrient value, higher in calories• Food deserts – – “poor access to healthy and affordable food, may

contribute to social and spatial disparities in diet and diet-related health outcomes.” 9

• Loss of crop diversity (Monsanato Inc./Percy Schmeiser) 10

• Food Insecurity 11

– Not having access to enough safe and nutritious food for an active, healthy life.

– US imports more food than exports• Loss of income/jobs for local area

Diet and Health• Obesity rivals Smoking as the nation’s leading killer• Research has shown that as weight increases to reach the

levels referred to as "overweight" and "obesity,"* the risks for the following conditions also increases:12

– Coronary heart disease– Type 2 Diabetes– Cancers (endometrial, breast, colon)– Hypertension– Dyslipidemia– Stroke– Liver and Gallbladder disease– Sleep apnea and respiratory problems– Osteoarthritis (degeneration of cartilage and underlying bone within a

joint)– Gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility)

What is Body Mass Index?

BMI = (Wt in lbs x 703) /ht in inches 2

Or visit: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

*Important note: BMI is not necessarily the best nor is it the only way to gauge a person’s health

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS Maps 13

(*BMI ≥ 30, or about 30 lbs overweight for a 5’4” person)

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS Maps 13

(*BMI ≥ 30, or about 30 lbs overweight for a 5’4” person)

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS Maps 13

(*BMI ≥ 30, or about 30 lbs overweight for a 5’4” person)

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS Maps 13

(*BMI ≥ 30, or about 30 lbs overweight for a 5’4” person)

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS Maps 13

(*BMI ≥ 30, or about 30 lbs overweight for a 5’4” person)

Obesity* Trends Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS Maps 13

(*BMI ≥ 30, or about 30 lbs overweight for a 5’4” person)

Other contributors?

Genetics? 14

Sleep? Or lack thereof…

Medications?Modern conveniences?

Cultural influences?

Physical Activity? Or lack…

Stress? Emotional/psych. disorders?

Fun Link

Food marketing

The law of supply and demand…They offer what consumers will buy! I DO NOT BLAME THEM… for obesity or anything else… they have simply responded to our wishes. Don’t sue them! Just stop supporting them!

What is NOT working.

• 68% overwt/obese!– Supplements*– Weight loss drugs*– Exercise equipment– Diet programs*– Diet books– Finger pointing

* $50 billion!! 15

Critical Interventions: What IS Working?

• Schools– Farm to School– Walk to School– Recess before lunch– Phys. Ed. Program Grants– After school programs– School Gardens

Critical Interventions: What’s Working?

• Community– Farmer’s Market– Community Trails– Healthier, local fast food– Worksite Wellness programs– Lewis County Extension

• Master Gardeners– Movies at Yardbirds– Complete Streets– Lewis County Table– Lewis County Healthy Families

Coalition

The Cost of Going Local

*Study conducted in Iowa – during peak growing season. A second part of the study looked at prices for meat and eggs – difficult to find similar attributes at all venues – but overall found very comparable prices. 16

Critical Interventions: What’s Working?

• Other– Insurance – reduced costs for “healthy weight” work, with

higher premiums for the overweight/obese.– Local Government leaders – listen to constituents! Then policy

changes effect the greater population…– National Policy &Legal Analysis Network– Nutrition labeling of restaurant foods

• The language in health reform legislation would establish national standard labeling requirements, so consumers would see calorie information in the same format regardless of restaurant(more than 20, standard items), city or state.

– City laws banning/mandating food quality• King County Nutrition Labeling Education Program• Taxes on foods high in sugar… or sodium…• NYC voluntary guidelines for limited sodium in restaurant foods• LA fast food moratorium• California ban on trans fats (effective Jan 1, 2010, Gov. Schwarzenegger)

Wake up and smell the farm fresh produce!• Black Sheep Creamery - Adna, WA – www.blacksheepcreamery.com

Fresh & Aged Cheeses• Boistfort Valley Farm – Curtis, WA – www.boistfortvalleyfarm.com

Certified Organic Vegetables, Herbs, & Flowers• Childers Farm – Winlock, WA

Fresh local produce• Newaukum Valley Farm – Adna, WA -

http://www.newaukumvalleyfarm.comFresh Vegetables & Flowers (products only available through CSA membership, farmer’s markets, or for purchase through restaurants)

• Prana Farms – Toledo, WA – http://www.pranafarms.com - Fresh local produce

• Rose of Sharon Farm – Chehalis, WA - http://www.roseofsharonfarm.comFarm Fresh Eggs, Honey, & Vegetables

• Sweet Briar Herb Farm – Onalaska, WAFresh Herbs, Herb Plants, Vegetables

• Winlock Meadow Farms– Winlock, WA - Fresh local produce• Many others! Keep searching… dairy farms, chicken/beef/goat

farms…etc.

Support Business that supports local farms…

• Just Jordie’s – Winlock, WA - http://www.justjordies.comHomestyle Pickled Veggies & Jellies

• LaPetit Ami – Chehalis, WA - http://lepetitamifamilyrestaurant.com/Crepes, Quiche, Homemade candies

• Santa Lucia Coffee – Centralia, WA - http://www.santaluciaroasters.comCoffee, Iced Lattes, Coffee Beans

• Local Flavors (at Thorbecke’s gym) – Chehalis, WA-http://www.winlockmeadowsfarm.com/

…a local, seasonal, whole-food menu.

• Northwest Food Works – Chehalis, WA - http://www.nwfoodworks.comGourmet Lunches, Beverages, & Baked Goods

• Once Upon a Thyme – Chehalis, WA - http://thyme.millerparsons.com/

• Gina’s Organics – Centralia, WA - http://www.ginasorganics.com/

Where to go from here…• Eat Seasonal foods – better variety = nutrition• Eat Local foods – know your farmer (protect

your health), and support local economy• Plan ahead and prepare foods at home – “…a

stitch in time saves nine…”• Personal responsibility - until environment

catches up!• Farms/Food Bank Lecture next week… and

great extension of this discussion…

Questions??

References1. Kenner, Robert and Schlosser, Eric. 2009. Food, Inc. USA, Magnolia Pictures.

2. Mintz, Steven. “Food in America.” http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/historyonline/food.cfm

3. Krasner-Khait, Barbara. History Magazine. Retrieved January 2010 from: http://www.history-magazine.com/refrig.html

4. Fast food restaurant. In Wikipedia. Retrieved January 2010 from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_food_restaurant

5. Pollan, Michael. The Omnivore’s Dilemma. The Penguin Press, 2006.

6. USDA Census of Agriculture – Washington State - County Data, 1950 and 2007.

7. Guthrie JF, Lin B-H, Frazao E. 2002. Role of food prepared away from home in the American diet, 1977-78 versus 1994-96: changes and consequences. J of Nutr Educ and Behav 34:140-150

References8. Nestle, Marion. Food Politics. The University of California Press, 2002.

9. Beaulac J, Kristjansson E, Cummins S. A Systematic Review of Food Deserts, 1966-2007. Preventing Chronic Disease July 2009; Volume 6:Number 3.

10. Kingsolver, Barbara with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. New York. HarperCollins, 2007.

11. Kyle, Susie. “Let’s Rally to Support Local Food.” The Chronicle. 7 January, 2010. Voices Section.

12. NIH, NHLBI Obesity Education Initiative. Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults. Available online:http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/ob_gdlns.pdf (PDF-1.25Mb)

References13. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey maps. Centers for Disease

Control. Retrieved January 2010 from: http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html

14. CDC Genetics and Obesity Feature. Centers for Disease Control. Retrieved January 2010 from: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Obesity/

15.Freedhoff, Yoni and Arya Sharma. “Lose 40 pounds in 4 weeks: Regulating commercial weight loss programs.” Canadian Medical Association Journal. February 17, 2009. 180(4)

16.The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa State University. “Is local food more expensive?” Retrieved January 2010 from: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs/staff/prices/summary.htm.

Another good read: Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The dark side of the all-American meal. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001.