Featured Stories

 State Budget Cuts Impact Nutrition and Physical Activity

On January 10, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger released the 2008-09 fiscal year budget which calls for a 10% across-the-board reduction in spending for all agencies and programs. The Governor is asking that the spending cuts be implemented by March 1st and is calling a special legislative session for that purpose. If passed, the budget would make it even harder for families in California to afford a healthy diet, be physically active, and have access to affordable, culturally competent healthcare. Among the important cuts that would affect nutrition and physical activity in California are:

• Forty-eight state park closures, including 17 state parks, 17 state historic parks and museums, 3 state beaches, 9 state recreation areas and 2 state reserves;
• Reductions to the Department of Public Health for local programs that address chronic disease;
• Cuts to Calworks, the California Food Assistance Program, the Food Stamp Program; and
• Decreased Child Nutrition Reimbursement Rates for schools that provide free and reduced price meals for children of low-income families.

The Strategic Alliance is disappointed to see the progress of the last year undermined by these non-selective budget cuts.  Amanda Purcell of California Public Health Advocacy explains that “the current fiscal crisis in the state prevents new programs or policy solutions to the obesity epidemic that require financing from the state’s general fund."

Jane Adams, Executive Director of the California Park & Recreation Society was apprehensive of the proposed spending cuts. "This proposal will have real and immediate consequences for millions of Californians who rely on our state parks for recreation, fitness, education, and simply connecting with nature and the outdoors.  For the Governor to suggest complete closures of these places which are used by school age children for historical and outdoor education, by families to have quality time together, and by individuals to improve their mental and physical health shows a lack of understanding about their importance. "

California Food Policy Advocates released an analysis of the impact the Governor’s

proposed budget will have on nutrition in California.

CPEHN, the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, issued a statement that ties together the sentiment: “The solution to our budget shortfall is not to cut programs that will jeopardize our health and worsen disparities…Our leaders need to increase revenue through progressive taxes to responsibly address the budget crisis. We also need an investment in prevention and the creation of healthy communities. These investments will result in less illness and chronic disease in the long-term, and result in significant savings to the state in the future, as discussed in a recent report from Prevention Institute, Reducing Health Care Costs Through Prevention.” 

Check back for more information in the coming months.

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Local Spotlight

New Action Plan Released in Contra Costa County

On January 11, the Healthy and Active Before 5 collaborative unveiled the culmination of a year-long planning process to develop an action plan to combat early childhood obesity in Contra Costa County. The goal of this comprehensive action plan is to create food and activity environments in neighborhoods and key institutions that will motivate and support children and families to adopt healthy behaviors.  The final plan is composed of eight key principles, developed by leaders from many Contra Costa organizations and agencies, with input from families throughout the County.

Marianne Balin, an executive committee member and representative from Kaiser Permanente, says the health consequences of chronic disease in very young children are disturbing and must be addressed by changing the environment in which children grow up—"It's time for every segment of the community to take action to stop this epidemic. The Action Plan spells out how we can protect our children and safeguard our communities' health for decades ahead." To see the action plan, please visit the HAB45 website.

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In the News

Farmers’ Market Vouchers Increases Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

A new study shows that vouchers given to low-income women to purchase produce at farmers’ markets substantially increased fruit and vegetable consumption. University of California, Los Angeles researchers provided Federal WIC participants $10 in weekly vouchers to purchase fruits and vegetables at farmers’ markets and supermarkets. Women who shopped at farmers’ markets consumed an average of 3 additional servings of fruits and vegetables daily compared to the control group. Women who used their vouchers at supermarkets increased their consumption by 1.5 servings per day. Participants reported that they bought more produce at farmers’ markets because they felt that the produce was fresher than supermarket produce and because they enjoyed the community experience and interacting with the growers.

While this study supports the recent revision to the WIC food program to subsidize fruits and vegetables, it also highlights the need for more changes to the food package that encourage fruit and vegetable consumption. The new WIC program will only provide women $8 fruit and vegetable vouchers monthly, while the UCLA study gave participants $10 vouchers every week. The study demonstrates that subsidizing low-income families to shop at farmers’ markets and providing families with incentives to purchase produce at farmers’ markets and supermarkets are effective strategies to both improve nutrition and to build positive community environments.  Read the full New York Times article.

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McDonald's Report Card Ads Expelled from Seminole County

Last month, Strategic Alliance reported on a McDonald’s program in Seminole County, Florida that sent elementary school students’ report cards home in envelopes that promised free Happy Meals to those with good grades or attendance (learn more). The issue received national media attention after a Seminole County parent, outraged that children would be rewarded with fast food for academic performance, complained to the school board and alerted Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood of the program. The bad publicity and the 2,000 letters McDonald’s received in response were successful in getting the program to end. This victory sends a strong message to fast food corporations that rewarding children with junk food, though legal, will not be tolerated. Visit CCFC’s website for more details.

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Resources

Good Health Counts: A 21st Century Approach to Health & Community for California

What makes a community healthy?  "Good Health Counts: A 21st Century Approach to Health and Community for California" synthesizes findings from nearly 100 community report cards and indicator reports from throughout the country and broadens understanding of all the elements that contribute to community health.  The report, prepared by Prevention Institute with funding from The California Endowment, helps make the connection between factors in the environment - including equitable opportunities, strong social ties, the ability to buy healthy foods, perceptions of safety to walk or play in the park, and affordable, quality medical services - and their impact on health.  Access the full report.

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Announcements

The Ad-Hoc Coalition for Healthy School Siting Needs You!

The Ad-Hoc Coalition for Healthy School Siting has spearheaded an effort to urge the California Department of Education to revise existing school siting regulatory requirements while undergoing a current document revision process.  School siting—the decision of where to put schools and how to orient them on the site—affects student learning environments, community design, sprawl, the preservation of agricultural lands, and the ability for children to walk and bicycle to schools. The coalition, which is composed of groups including Center for Cities & Schools; Cities, Counties and Schools Partnership; Local Government Commission; Prevention Institute; the Safe Routes to School National Partnership and Strategic Alliance, is seeking California-based organizations to sign on in support of the letter and research brief.  If your organization wants to be listed in the cover letter, please fill out and mail endorsement form by January 28 at 12-noon, and then email Carol Chao at carol@preventioninstitute.org notifying her of your organization’s endorsement.

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New CDC Funding Opportunity

A new funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on www.grants.gov. This announcement solicits applications from state and territorial health departments for the next competitive five-year project period (2008 to 2013, pending availability of funds) for CDC's Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Program (CDC-RFA-DP08-805). The purpose of this program is to improve healthful eating and physical activity to prevent and control obesity and other chronic diseases by building and sustaining statewide capacity, and implementing population based strategies and interventions.

Tips when using www.grants.gov:

• To find this application, go to the main web page's left-hand menu and click on "Find Grant Opportunities".  Then do a Basic Search using Funding Opportunity Number CDC-RFA-DP08-805
• Be sure to register for e-mail notifications about FOA on grants.gov in case amendments occur.  Once you have found the FOA via the basic search, click on the FOA and you will see a statement on the website that reads:   "If you would like to receive notifications of changes to the grant opportunity click send me change notification emails" link on the synopsis page.   The only thing you need to provide for this service is your email address. No other information is requested." 
• Grants.gov has training materials about using the website at http://www.grants.gov/resources/resources.jsp

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Upcoming Events

Winter

SF Town Hall Meeting on Land Use and Health

January 30, 2008, San Francisco, CA

The Ethics of Food and the Environment

Events January 17-April 23, 2008, Palo Alto, CA

Models for Addressing PE, Safe Routes to School, and School Health

February 4, 2008, Sacramento, CA

Regional Equity ‘08: Summit on Equitable Development, Social Justice, and Smart Growth

March 5-7, 2008, New Orleans, LA

Celebration of Nutrition and Fitness Advocacy in California

March 6, 2008, Los Angeles, CA

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Spring

Making Change Matter: Maximizing Impact of New WIC Foods

April 7, 2008, Los Angeles, CA (new date!)

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Summer

BEAT Institute (Built Environment Assessment Training Institute)

June 15-20, 2008, Atlanta, GA

Fall

International Urban Parks Conference

September 21-23, 2008, Pittsburgh, PA

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Thanks for reading!  The Strategic Alliance is currently engaged in building a broad and diverse statewide membership.  If you were forwarded this e-mail and want to receive your own copy in the future, please click here or e-mail carol@preventioninstitute.org.  And if you’re already a member, please forward this message to your colleagues so we can continue to strengthen our coalition.  Thank you!

WHAT IS THE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE?

The Strategic Alliance is reframing the debate on nutrition and physical activity away from a focus solely on individual choice and lifestyle towards one of environmental influences and corporate and government responsibility. Current Steering Committee members are: California Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program (CANFit), California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA), California Food Policy Advocates (CFPA), California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, California Park and Recreation Society (CPRS), California Project LEAN, California WIC Association (CWA), Child Care Food Program Roundtable, Latino Health Access, Partnership for the Public’s Health, Prevention Institute, Samuels & Associates, and YMCA of the East Bay.

The Strategic Alliance is supported by funding from The California Endowment.

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