Finding Nutrition in Lewis County:
A closer look at our food environment
Marie Milliren Tucker, MPH, RD, CN
Health Educator
Lewis County Public Health
Marie.tucker@lewiscountywa.gov
Personal Disclosures
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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:
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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
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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.c
om/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. Adults
BRFSS Maps 13
(*BMI ≥ 30, or about 30 lbs overweight for a 5’4” person)
Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults
BRFSS Maps 13
(*BMI ≥ 30, or about 30 lbs overweight for a 5’4” person)
Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults
BRFSS Maps 13
(*BMI ≥ 30, or about 30 lbs overweight for a 5’4” person)
Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults
BRFSS Maps 13
(*BMI ≥ 30, or about 30 lbs overweight for a 5’4” person)
Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults
BRFSS Maps 13
(*BMI ≥ 30, or about 30 lbs overweight for a 5’4” person)
Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults
BRFSS Maps 13
(*BMI ≥ 30, or about 30 lbs overweight for a 5’4” person)
Other contributors?
Stress?
Emotional/psych.
disorders?
Food marketing
Physical Activity? Or lack…
Genetics? 14
Cultural influences?
Sleep? Or lack thereof…
Medications?
Modern conveniences?
Fun Link
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
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$50 billion!!
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Critical Interventions: What IS Working?
• Schools
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Farm to School
Walk to School
Recess before lunch
Phys. Ed. Program Grants
After school programs
School Gardens
Critical Interventions: What’s Working?
• Community
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Farmer’s Market
Community Trails
Healthier, local fast food
Worksite Wellness programs
Lewis County Extension
• Master Gardeners
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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
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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.com
Fresh 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.com
Farm Fresh Eggs, Honey, & Vegetables
• Sweet Briar Herb Farm – Onalaska, WA
Fresh Herbs, Herb Plants, Vegetables
• Winlock Meadow Farms– Winlock, WA - Fresh local produce
• Many others! Keep searching… dairy farms, chicken/beef/goat
farms…etc.
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Support Business that supports local
farms…
Just Jordie’s – Winlock, WA - http://www.justjordies.com
Homestyle Pickled Veggies & Jellies
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LaPetit Ami – Chehalis, WA - http://lepetitamifamilyrestaurant.com/
Crepes, Quiche, Homemade candies
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Santa Lucia Coffee – Centralia, WA - http://www.santaluciaroasters.com
Coffee, Iced Lattes, Coffee Beans
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Local Flavors (at Thorbecke’s gym) – Chehalis, WAhttp://www.winlockmeadowsfarm.com/
…a local, seasonal, whole-food menu.
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Northwest Food Works – Chehalis, WA - http://www.nwfoodworks.com
Gourmet Lunches, Beverages, & Baked Goods
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Once Upon a Thyme – Chehalis, WA - http://thyme.millerparsons.com/
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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??
References
1.
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
References
8.
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 (PDF1.25Mb)
References
13. 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.