NBCI Declares a National Health Emergency in the Black Church
Food environment factors—such as store/restaurant proximity, food prices, food and nutrition assistance programs, and community characteristics—interact to influence food choices and diet quality. Research is beginning to document the complexity of these interactions, but more is needed to identify causal relationships and effective policy interventions.
Objectives of the Atlas:
- To assemble statistics on food environment indicators to stimulate research on the determinants of food choices and diet quality
- To provide a spatial overview of a community’s ability to access healthy food and its success in doing so
What information is included in the Atlas?
The Atlas assembles statistics on three broad categories of food environment factors:
- Food Choices—Indicators of the community's access to and acquisition of healthy, affordable food, such as: access and proximity to a grocery store; number of foodstores and restaurants; expenditures on fast foods; food and nutrition assistance program participation; quantities of foods eaten; food prices; food taxes; and availability of local foods
- Health and Well-Being—Indicators of the community’s success in maintaining healthy diets, such as: food insecurity; diabetes and obesity rates; and physical activity levels
- Community Characteristics—Indicators of community characteristics that might influence the food environment, such as: demographic composition; income and poverty; population loss; metro-nonmetro status; natural amenities; and recreation and fitness centers
The Atlas currently includes 90 indicators of the food environment. The year and geographic level of the indicators vary to better accommodate data from a variety of sources. Some data are from the last Census of Population in 2000 while others are as recent as 2009. Some are at the county level while others are at the State or regional level. The most recent county-level data are used whenever possible.
Obesity and its Health Impact
This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Web site explains the significance of BMI as an
indicator of weight status for adults, children, and
adolescents. Users can input their height and weight
into a “BMI Calculator” and follow a link to obtain
the CDC’s growth charts for babies, children, and
adolescents.
Crafting Laws and Policies to Fight Obesity
Scroll down to State Legislative Information to access
a database sponsored by the CDC that lists state
legislative initiatives on nutrition and physical
activity.
Web site of the nonprofit organization formed in 2003 by
a coalition of food and beverage companies, trade
associations, and nutrition advocates to “work toward
comprehensive and achievable solutions to the nation’s
obesity epidemic.” Lists federal government
initiatives and some workplace and community-level
efforts, as well as programs sponsored by food and
beverage companies. It’s a starting point for learning
about the food industry’s response to the epidemic.
Web site of the nation’s largest organization of food and nutrition
professionals, which has a section on Government
Affairs with helpful information on food policy.
Database for looking up state legislation on many
health topics.
Provides examples of how California
nutrition activists have pioneered the approach of
using specific local data on children’s obesity and
diabetes risk as a lobbying tool to engage voters and
to encourage local and state legislators to pass new
laws on school food and other issues. Activists in
other cities and states are beginning to adopt this
approach.
This Web site of a nonfederal community task force on
preventive services provides information on the
strength of the evidence supporting various strategies
for improving nutrition and promoting activity.
Healthy Eating
An interactive Web site for children ages 9 to 12 and
their parents that promotes healthy eating and active
living. It’s a project of the International Food
Information Council Foundation.
This International Food Information Council Foundation
web site also offers general nutrition information and
child-feeding tips for parents. IFIC is supported by
the food, beverage, and agricultural industries.
Learn how to read and interpret the nutrition
information on food labels at this Web address, part
of the Food and Drug Administration’s Web site. Also
provides a lesson kit on food labels for high school
teachers.
A nonprofit
organization dedicated to helping people achieve and
maintain a healthy weight.
By clicking on the Food and Nutrition link, you can
find the latest edition of the government’s dietary
guidelines, standard serving sizes, the Food Guide
Pyramid (including recommended servings for children
of different ages), facts about the federal school
lunch program, and other valuable information. There’s
also an Interactive Healthy Eating Index and Physical
Activity Tool that allows the user to input personal
information about diet and activity patterns and get
an individualized assessment.
Promoting Access to Fresh Foods
Contains a list of
farmers markets in every state, as well as information
on obtaining federal funding or linking up with
private organizations to establish or expand local
farmers markets.
Includes
sample materials used to educate local consumers and
promote healthy foods, as well as a list of helpful
links.
A Philadelphia-based
nonprofit organization that operates farmers markets,
promotes better nutrition in schools, and works to
improve local availability of fresh foods. Helpful for
anyone who wants to pursue such activities. The Food
Trust and the Healthy Stores Project are also
cooperating to form a national network of people and
organizations around the country working on the issue
of access to healthy foods.
NBCI Search
The 5 Foods You Should Eat Every Day
Eating right on a budget can be a challenge, but it's certainly not
impossible. Holly Robinson Peete presents this "cheat sheet" to
the 5 inexpensive foods you should eat everyday for optimum health.
S.C. case looks on child obesity as child abuse. But is it?
With
childhood obesity on the rise, according to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, it could open the door to
more criminal action against parents whose children have
become dangerously overweight.
Alexander Draper was
removed from his mother's care because he weighed 555 pounds
at age 14.
Links to Minority
Health Resources
