April 2008
News from the Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch
New Staff
On April 1, 20089 the Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch welcomed David Hall as the new Faithful Families Eating Smart Moving More Program Coordinator. The Faithful Families Program is a joint partnership effort between NC Cooperative Extension’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and the NC Division of Public Health, with grant funding provided from Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust.
David has both a Masters in Public Health and a Masters of Divinity. He has previously served as Health Promotion Coordinator in both Orange and Henderson Counties, working with Faith Communities to promote healthy behaviors.
Programs, Projects and Initiatives
Apply Now for the 2008 NC Fruits & Veggies Star Awards
The NC Fruits & Veggies Nutrition Coalition is pleased to announce that the application for the 2008 NC Fruits & Veggies Star Awards are now available. These awards recognize organizations for promoting the positive health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables every day for better health.
New for 2008! Winners are eligible for cash prizes thanks to the generous support of Dole Food Company, Inc. The submission deadline is May 23, 2008. An application form can be found (in Word and pdf format) here.
As the NC Fruits & Veggies Nutrition Coalition is under the umbrella of Eat Smart, Move More NC, in the coming months look for the www.fruitsandveggiesnc.com website to transition under the EatSmartMoveMoreNC.com website.
APPLY NOW! We know many of you are doing wonderful and dynamic things regarding fruit and vegetable consumption and encourage you to apply!
Success Stories
Drop-A-Ton Initiative
In February 2007, The Drop-A-Ton weight loss initiative began at University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina (UHS). The Drop-A-Ton initiative is part of ViQuest Rewards, the UHS employee wellness program sponsored by UHS as a benefit for employees. The need for the initiative was based on BMI data collected on nearly half of all employees who voluntarily participated in free wellness screenings in 2006. These screenings indicated that 74 percent of employees were classified as overweight or obese, putting UHS higher than local and state averages for BMI. Drop-A-Ton is for all ~8900 UHS employees located in six 6 geographical locations throughout eastern NC and focuses on healthy behaviors, such as healthful eating and physical activity to maintain or achieve a healthy weight. (A healthy weight is defined as a Body Mass Index of 18.5-24.9)
Drop A Ton also involves changing the corporate culture to one that provides an environment that supports employees to practice healthy behaviors, such as healthy eating and being active at work. This includes healthy vending options, healthy food options in cafeterias for all shifts, recognition rewards that are not centered on food items, walking routes and trails on campuses and access to on-site or local facilities for employees to exercise.
The 2007 challenge concluded on December 31 with the following results:
- 1378 employees maintained a healthy weight and/or lost weight which qualified them for the Drop A Ton of Cash prize
- 11,003 pounds or 5.5 tons were lost
- 93 employees who were in the obese BMI category moved into a lower risk BMI category
- $5400.00 was awarded in prize money to 18 winners (one grand prize of $2000.00 and 17 $200.00 prizes)
In January a “prize patrol” from ViQuest Rewards arrived at various locations around UHS surprises the 18 winners. See the attached picture of the grand prize winner.
The Drop A Ton initiative continues into 2008! This year the system wide goal is to lose seven tons (14,000 lbs.). Also new in 2008 is an additional incentive level that will provide prizes mid way and at the end of the challenge year.
Best Practices Include:
- Implementation of the Wellness Wagon, a cart manned by the wellness team that reaches out to the employees while they are at work in their respective departments.
- Creation of a Drop A Ton Eating Plan- a monthly meal plan for two specific calorie levels.
- Continuation/ Implementation of a Nutrition Tip of the week or day via email at all UHS entities.
- Identification of walking routes and Creation of walking route brochures for all UHS entities.
For more information on this Initiative visit the University Health Care Systems of Eastern Carolina website.
Featured Resources and Research
USDA’s MyPyramid Menu Planner
USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion officially released the MyPyramid Menu Planner on March 11th. The Menu Planner interactively shows whether a person’s food choices are balanced for the day, or on average over a week; it can help plan upcoming meals to meet MyPyramid goals; it provides suggestions for potential ways to improve food choices; and it allows for easy entry of foods for additional family members. Click to access the MyPyramid Menu Planner, or click to tour the MyPyramid Menu Planner Tour. There will also be a box on the MyPyramid.gov homepage that takes you to the Menu Planner.
New Searchable Database of Farmers, Farmers’ Markets, Restaurants, Grocers, Manufacturers & Other Businesses
Visit the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) at www.carolinafarmstewards.org and search for local food from your farmers. You’ll find the most complete guide available to sustainable farms in the Carolinas and the businesses that support them: Sustainable Farms, Restaurants, Grocers, and more!
For more information contact Kari Brayman, Marketing & Communications Director CFSA
New CDC Nutrition Basics Web Page
These days, a wealth of nutrition information is at your finger tips. From diet books to newspaper articles, everyone seems to have an opinion about what you should be eating. It’s no secret that good nutrition plays an essential role in maintaining health. Do you ever feel like you can’t keep up with the changes in technology? Sometimes it seems that way with dietary advice, as if things are always changing. While it’s true that the fields of diet and nutrition are areas of evolving research, there are some basic concepts you can keep in mind. By knowing these basics, you will be better equipped to sort through nutrition research and dietary advice. While you already know it is important to eat a healthy diet, you may find it more difficult to sort through all of the information about nutrition and food choices. The CDC, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, has compiled a variety of resources to help you start healthier eating habits, including the Nutrition Basics web page which features several categories, including: food groups, water, dietary fat, carbohydrate, protein, vitamins and minerals.
For more information click here.
Call for Qualitative Research in Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Areas
Do you have qualitative research in the fields of physical activity, nutrition, or obesity (including TV/screen time and breastfeeding)? If so, CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity would like to add this research to its Inventory of Qualitative Research. They are currently updating the inventory with new or previously un-entered projects. The Inventory of Qualitative Research site provides basic information about qualitative studies that have been conducted in nutrition, physical activity, and other related fields. The qualitative research presented includes 1) formative research to study target audiences while developing intervention strategies, 2) research to pretest intervention activities and/or materials, and 3) monitoring and evaluation research to find out how projects are doing so they can be fine-tuned to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
The site is useful to find research studies, gather ideas, and share information. This is a great opportunity to contribute to these fields by publicizing and sharing your work, especially projects that may not be disseminated through published studies. In addition, the inventory can be a helpful source of data for future research. Database entries include information on the purpose of the study, target audience, a brief summary of the methods used, sample population, date conducted, any available materials and a contact person for each project. Any available documents are then accessible by contacting the point person listed in the entry. CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity would greatly appreciate the inclusion of any qualitative research you or your group has conducted.
If you are interested in contributing to the inventory, please contact Jenny Kohr via email or by phone 770.488.5253 for the necessary form.
Personal Counseling and Web-based Strategies Show Modest Success for Sustaining Weight Loss, According to NHLBI Study
Adults who lost weight in a six-month program were able to keep at least some of the weight off for 2.5 years with the help of brief monthly personal counseling, according to a new study from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health. A Web-based intervention also helped participants keep the weight off for two years, but the benefit waned during the last six months of the trial.
The results of the Weight Loss Maintenance Trial, the largest and longest duration trial to test different weight-loss maintenance strategies, are published in the March 12, 2008, issue of the “Journal of the American Medical Association”. Results were also presented at the American Heart Association’s Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism Council Meeting on March 12 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
“Maintaining a healthy weight is a key tenet of every heart disease prevention plan. We have well-tested techniques for successful weight loss, but preventing weight re-gain is especially challenging. This study provides insight into best practices for practical interventions that can help adults keep the weight off and therefore lower their risks for heart disease and other conditions,” said Elizabeth G. Nabel, M.D., Director, NHLBI.
The study initially enrolled 1,685 overweight or obese adults with high blood pressure or high cholesterol or both. Of those, 1,032 lost an average of 18.7 pounds during an initial six-month weight loss intervention involving 20 weekly group-counseling sessions which emphasized a heart-healthy dietary pattern and three hours per week of physical activity. They were then randomly assigned to one of three strategies for weight loss maintenance: monthly personal counseling on diet and physical activity, a Web-based intervention with the same advice, and self-direction, where participants received minimal further intervention from study staff.
At the end of the study, participants receiving personal counseling retained an average weight loss of 9.2 pounds, compared to an average of 7.3 pounds for those using the Web-based intervention and 6.4 pounds for those in the self-directed group.
Personal counseling sessions were brief and mainly by telephone. The Web site was developed to provide the same advice as personal counseling. Both interventions were designed to be practical to implement in a variety of settings.
“Most people in the study regained at least some of the weight they initially lost. However, both the personal counseling and the Web-based program modestly alleviated weight re-gain for up to two years, with the personal counseling ultimately proving to be the most beneficial by the end of the 2.5 year study,” said Laura Svetkey, M.D, a professor of medicine at Duke University Medical Center, and the study’s lead author. Maintaining a healthy weight is an important part of heart disease prevention. Weight loss is shown to lower blood pressure, lower LDL “bad” cholesterol, and help prevent type 2 diabetes. Each 2.2 pounds of weight loss can lower blood pressure by one point and can lower the risk of developing diabetes by 16 percent in high-risk adults.
“The relatively long-term, 24-month success of the Web-based intervention shows promise particularly because of the potential to reach a large number of adults at a relative low cost per person,” said Catherine Loria, Ph.D., program officer at NHLBI, and a study co-author. “We need to continue working to improve both interventions so that they are more effective and can be implemented widely.” Approximately 38 percent of participants were African-American and 37 percent of participants were men.
USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) Updates
New or updated information is available from USDA Econmic Research Service on Diet, Health, & Safety topics. See new items in all topics here.
Food Stamps and Obesity – What Do We Know?
Results from reviewed studies indicate that for most participants in the Food Stamp Program—children, nonelderly men, and the elderly—use of food stamp benefits does not result in an increase in either Body Mass Index (BMI) or the likelihood of being overweight or obese. However, for nonelderly women, who account for 28 percent of the food stamp caseload, some evidence suggests that participation in the Food Stamp Program may increase BMI and the probability of obesity. Different results for age and sex subgroups remain unexplained. Further, because food stamp benefits are issued to households, not individuals, mixed results across age and sex subgroups make it difficult to target policy alternatives to address potential weight gain among some participants while not affecting others in the household.
For more information click here.
Price Trends are Similar for Fruits, Vegetables, and Snack Foods
An increase in the price of fruits and vegetables relative to less healthy foods could reduce consumers’ incentives to purchase fruits and vegetables and result in less healthy diets. Whether such a change in relative prices and incentives has occurred in the United States is difficult to prove because of substantial quality improvements in many fresh fruits and vegetables. For commonly consumed fresh fruits and vegetables for which quality has remained fairly constant, analysis of price trends reveals a price decline similar to that of dessert and snack foods. This price trend evidence suggests that the price of a healthy diet has not changed relative to an unhealthy one, although a healthy diet might not include every fresh fruit or vegetable currently available.
For more information click here.
Household Food Security and Tradeoffs in the Food Budget of Food Stamp Program Participants: An Engel Function Approach
This study develops a framework for differentiating true Food Stamp Program (FSP) impacts on food security from those that arise because households with the most severe food-related hardships are more likely to participate in the program. The framework hypothesizes that food spending improvements are the likely causal link between FSP participation and enhanced food security. Since food stamp benefits diminish with income, the incremental effect of FSP participation is also expected to diminish. Using data from the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplements in a statistical framework that controls for household income, the study finds that FSP participants have consistently higher at-home food spending and lower away-from-home-spending than comparable nonparticipants. For both groups, food security rises with income, but food security remains lower for program participants. Because differences in food spending and food security do not disappear as income rises, the study concludes that observed disparities are not likely to be true program impacts.
Disclaimer: This study was conducted by Tufts University under Cooperative Assistance Agreement number 43-3AEM-5-80088 with the Economic Research Service. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of ERS or USDA.
For more information click here.
Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s Operation Frontline Nutrition and Cooking Classes for Low Income Populations
The Inter-Faith Food Shuttle (IFFS) is starting an exciting new program and needs your help! In partnership with Share our Strength, the Food Shuttle is now offering Operation Frontline nutrition and cooking classes for low income populations in the Triangle area. The goal is to create a long-term solution to hunger by giving people the confidence and ability to be more self-sufficient, improve their eating habits and food budgeting skills.
Operation Frontline is operating in 17 cities around the country and has been recognized by many for its success. In turn, Share our Strength and Operation Frontline have now become the Food Network’s official charity partner! Keep your eyes peeled for service announcements and ads running on both the Food Network and on NPR.
Classes are held at local food assistance agencies and community centers, providing practical, hands-on experience with food and nutrition. Classes last 4-6 weeks and are based on the USDA food pyramid, teaching healthy eating habits, cooking skills, meal planning, and food budgeting. Each class focuses around a nutrition theme and involves all participants in cooking and physical activities. Chefs add their own creative touches with low-cost, nutritious recipes they create with participants’ help. At the end of each class participants receive a grocery bag with ingredients that will enable them to make the recipes for their families at home. The program offers a variety of curriculums, including those for adults, children, teenagers, pregnant teens, and parents together with their children.
Each 2 hour class meets once a week for 6 weeks and is coordinated by IFFS and agency/site staff. IFFS provides all materials needed for class including chef’s teaching guide, participant handouts, cooking supplies, and food. Roles for volunteers include Chef Instructors, Nutrition Instructors, Class Assistants, Class Grocery Shoppers, and various other tasks helping prepare for classes. Additionally, they are in the process of developing a garden-based nutrition and cooking program for youth and will need volunteers for that as well. Volunteer instructors are required to commit to the entire 6 week series as well as 1 brief training session. The goal is to have classes in communities throughout the triangle.
Please contact Katherine Andrew at 919.250.0043 with any questions or interest in helping out with this program. If you are interested in helping out in other ways or in hosting a food/supply drive, they are in need of cooking supplies, food donations, and participant graduation gifts. Currently, the biggest needs for the program are volunteer instructors and food for classes and take home groceries. IFFS is hoping to emphasize local products and use more of these in its classes (produce, low fat dairy, lean proteins). This initiative is a collaborative program that relies on the skills, talents, and resources of many partners to make a difference in the lives of the families it touches; we hope you can help!
Legislation
No updates this month. For national legislative priorities, visit the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity (NANA)website.
Grants/Awards
Funding Opportunity to Increase Participation in Afterschool and Summer Nutrition Programs
From March 10-May 30, 2008, Share Our Strength will be accepting grant applications from current sponsors of summer and after school meal programs for children that utilize USDA-reimbursement and organizations that increase participation through advocacy and outreach.
Funding Goal - Grants from Share Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale will support efforts to increase participation among low-income school-age children in afterschool and summer meal programs. Share Our Strength is specifically interested in increasing participation in meal programs that utilize USDA-reimbursement through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), National School Lunch Program (NSLP), or Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Nonprofit organizations that work to increase the number of children that receive nutritious afterschool and summer meals may be eligible to apply for funds raised through Share Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale. Grant awards will range from $1,000 to $10,000.
Eligibility Criteria - Grants will only be awarded to nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, schools with a valid NCES code, or local government entities that work to ensure children have access to afterschool and summer meal programs.
To be eligible to apply for a grant from this program, organizations must also do at least ONE (1) of the following:
1. Sponsor USDA-reimbursed afterschool and/or summer meal programs for school-age children.
2. Work to increase participation in USDA-reimbursed afterschool and summer meal programs through outreach and advocacy.
To apply - For more information about this grant opportunity and to access the application please visit www.greatamericanbakesale.org/grants Share Our Strength is a national nonprofit that inspires and organizes individuals and businesses to share their strengths in innovative ways to help end childhood hunger in America and abroad. For more information on Share Our Strength, click here.
NC Prevention Awards: Accepting Nominations
Recognize an individual or group with a strong dedication to improving the health of their community, workplace, school or home. NCPP is now accepting nominations for awards in prevention excellence by an individual or group in several areas: Business, Legislator, Media, Coalition, Health organization, Individual, School, Preventive Benefits, Winner’s Circle Healthy Dining.
Nomination forms, instructions and past winners are online at NC Prevention Partners. Entries must be postmarked by April 30, 2008; awards will be given at NC Prevention Partners’ 10th Annual Meeting & Awards Ceremony on June 3, 2008.
USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Program Fiscal 2008, Competitive Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program Description and Application Process
ERS’s Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Program is now accepting proposals for grants and cooperative agreements for fiscal 2008. The three priority research areas are (1) Food Choices: Economic Determinants and Consequences, (2) Economic Incentives in Food Assistance Programs, and (3) Food Assistance as an Economic Safety Net. This publication describes the research areas and application requirements. Funding for competitive awards in fiscal 2008 is approximately $2 million. The deadline for proposal submission is May 19, 2008.
For more information on the Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Program, click here.
Training and Professional Development
Nutrition and Physical Activity Teleconferences
Every month, the CDC Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity & Obesity (DNPAO) sponsors a monthly teleconference on a variety of topics, but mostly dealing with nutrition &/or physical activity. The calls are scheduled the 2nd Thursday of each month from 1:30-2:30 p.m. The April 10, 2008, call has been canceled. Anyone who would like to participate in future calls is encouraged to send an email to nc5aday@ncmail.net.
CDC Division of Diabetes Translation Conference
Orlando, Florida
May 5-8, 2008
Registration is now open for the CDC Division of Diabetes Translation Conference, May 5-8, 2008, at the Wyndham Orlando, in Orlando, Florida. Hotel reservations cut-off is Wednesday, April 9, 2008.
Conference registration cut-off is Friday, April 18, 2008.
Please click here to register today.
Weight Management Certificate Programs
Various Dates and Cities
The Commission on Dietetic Registration will be offering Certificate of Training programs in Adult and Childhood and Adolescent Weight Management as noted below:
Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management:
- May 16-18, 2008 - Dover, Delaware
- June 26-28, 2008 - Bellevue, Washington
- September 18-20, 2008 - San Francisco, California
- April 10-12, 2008 - Evanston, Illinois (near Chicago)
- May 18-20, 2008 - Dover, Delaware
- June 5-7, 2008 - Austin, Texas
- September 4-6, 2008 - Cincinnati, Ohio
- Livable, Senior Friendly Communities
- Economy of Aging
- Healthy Aging
- Family, Intergenerational Relations and Caregiving
- Gender, Race, and Class
- Elder Rights, Consumer Protection and Legal Issues
- Health and the Continuum of Care
- Learn about innovative programs that are both reaching (creating greater access to) and teaching North Carolinians how to enjoy more locally grown fruits and vegetables.
- Identify ways and resources to bring these new programs into their communities or settings.
For registration information and to view the certificate requirements, timeline, registration deadlines and agenda click here.
Certificate of Training in Childhood and Adolescent Weight Management:
For registration information and to view the certificate requirements, timeline, registration deadlines and agenda click here.
7th Annual North Carolina Conference on Aging
“Healthy? Wealthy? and Wise? – Growing Older in North Carolina”
Greenville, NC
October, 28-30, 2008
The North Carolina Conference on Aging is a collaborative effort to develop a professional conference to provide educational and networking opportunities for anyone interested in long-term care, vital aging, family issues, work and retirement, leadership, and professional development. Realizing the diverse nature of this task, we have made a deliberate effort to include local, regional and state-level service providers, educators, students, consumers, volunteers, clients, caregivers, policymakers, and administrators.
Conference Tracks will include:
Call for Presentations Application Deadline is April 7, 2008.
More information is available on the conference web site.
Piedmont Interfaith Network of Gardens (PING) Workshops
PING is a new network of church-based community gardens in central North Carolina, under the Come to the Table Project. PING helps churches celebrate their work, share information and resources, and provide healthy, fresh food to their communities. Workshops are planned for February through November of this year.
For more information click here.
2008 NC Fruits & Veggies Nutrition Coalition Annual Symposium
“Fruits and Veggies: Reaching and Teaching North Carolinians”
Charlotte, NC– July 30, 2008
Save the date of Wednesday, July 30, 2008 for the 2008 NC Fruits & Veggies Nutrition Coalition Annual Symposium. The conference will be held again at Johnson & Wales University—Charlotte campus.
Goal: The goal of this year’s exciting Symposium is for participants to leave with ideas, resources and new partners to make fruits and vegetables more accessible within their communities and use fun and teachable strategies to help North Carolinians eat smart and enjoy more.
Objectives: By attending the Symposium, participants will:
Who Should Attend: Any fruit and veggie passionate person or organization.
Interested in getting the registration materials when they are available? Join the NC Fruits & Veggies Nutrition Coalition today. Membership is free and applications can be downloaded here.