Mapping and Framing the Work
Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at 5:48PM All people have a basic need for nutrition, but the way we meet that need varies according to several key influences. Our food supply and access to it determines our basis for choice, and research has shown that lower income areas have poorer access to healthful food choices (Rudd Center Research, 2008).
A second primary driver of food choice is education. Supermarkets are stacked with high sugar, high fat and high salt foods while at the same time the knowledge required for preparing healthy, filling meals at home, is being lost. Education can be aimed at teaching the nutritional value of certain foods as well as practical lessons on how to shop and cook for better nutrition. Most efforts to improve nutrition focus on these two major drivers, but improved access and improved education do not guarantee a healthier diet and lifestyle. Other very strong influencing factors lie at the heart of choice, and the success of any program will be dependent on recognition and accounting for these factors (Figure 1).
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A sociological view allows for a consideration of the cultural practices within a given community. Creating programs that leverage the cultural norms of a community can bring a community closer together and optimize the chance of success for programs to improve dietary choices. Secondly, a psychological perspective takes into account the personal drivers behind eating behaviors and includes the need to preserve dignity through choice, and the provision of comfort and security particularly for individuals who are responsible for feeding others. A third influencer is the physiological driver that provides much of the subconscious stimulus for overeating. Recent studies have shown that consumption of high fat and high sugar products conditions the body to desire more of these foods. The cycle of overeating that results in obesity can be very difficult to break and is compounded by the higher accessibility of these foods in supermarkets, restaurants and school cafeterias for example. Chronic exposure to these high-energy, low-nutrition foods is the cause of most obesity and obesity-related diseases. Consideration of the sociological, physiological and psychological influences on food choices can increase the chance of success of any program aimed at improving nutrition and reducing obesity.
In order to engage the appropriate stakeholders required to support and implement programs, two lenses must be applied to the food system: political and economic. These must be founded on a solid ethical foundation. The political lens allow for policies to support changes in the system, the economic lens allows for what is possible financially and takes into account the overall effect of economics in the area. Finally, the ethical foundation underpins each and every conversation, proposal, study and program to be sure that an emerging Food Policy Council is are placing the welfare of those in the community at the center of the work.
Focus groups participating in the United Way Needs Assessment process and filling out deliberative needs cards were asked to determine the health areas which needed to be a priority for United Way. 69% of the respondents listed food/hunger as a priority. 36.2% listed nutrition and 34.5% listed fitness and obesity as critical. Respondents indicated an understanding of the connections and complexities of food-related health issues.
In summary the goal of the Food Policy Council is to improve access and education for individuals to have practical, healthful and sustainable solutions to their nutrition needs regardless of their income or social status. To optimize the chance of success, the Council will consider the social, psychological and physiological drivers of choice, and engage partners at the political, economic and moral level to ensure full inclusion and collaboration in all activities.
