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HEALTH CARE FOOD AND ACTIVITY ENVIRONMENTS ENACT STRATEGY:
Healthy Food Healthcare settings are unique and powerful vehicles to encourage staff, patients, and surrounding community members to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors. By eliminating or reducing barriers to healthy foods, hospitals and other healthcare environments can positively impact the nutrition patterns of anyone passing through – or even passing by.
Produce to the People (PDF) In an article for the Permanente Journal, Dr. Preston Maring describes his successful efforts in bringing a farmer’s market to Kaiser Permanente Oakland. Eat Smart, Move More…NC highlights the success story of a county health department that created a self-sustaining healthy snack bar (PDF). London Food Link: Project Background The rationale and plan for the London Food Link project, an effort launched by Britain's National Health Service to increase the proportion of local, nutritious food served in its hospitals. The project focuses on sustainable procurement practices to support sustainable development, minimize environmental harm and support local economies. Healthy Food in Healthcare Pledge By signing on to the Healthy Food in Health Care Pledge, 101 facilities have committed to the goal of providing local, nutritious and sustainable food to their patients and staff. Health Care Without Harm provides a Sample Procurement Policy (PDF) for healthcare institutions aiming to improve access to healthy foods. The Health Collaborative of Bexar County, Texas (San Antonio) developed Healthy Vending Guidelines (PDF) with criteria and rationale for healthy items to include in vending machines. The University of Virginia Medical Center introduced a healthy vending machine policy designed to better inform consumers about the choices they are making. Sample Policy for Purchasing Meat with Reduced Antibiotics (PDF) This sample policy can be used as a template for organizations considering passing guidelines related to meat, poultry and seafood purchases and antibiotics. Catholic Healthcare West Food & Nutrition Vision Statement (PDF) CHW aspires to develop a healthy food system which includes modeling healthy food choices, maximizing locally sourced foods, and encouraging labeling that details where a food is from and how it was produced. San Francisco Department of Public Health Healthy and Sustainable Food Policy (PDF) The San Francisco Department of Public Health Sustainable Food Policy aims to reflect the DPH mission of promoting the health of all San Franciscans. The policy requires that the city’s two public hospitals develop a Sustainable Food Procurement plan to provide food that is acquired from healthy, environmentally sound, and sustainable sources. This policy outlines the Kaiser Permanente’s values for purchasing in order to support a sustainable food system. Nutrition and Food Production Systems: a Role for Health Care Institutions (PDF) A policy brief from the Science and Environmental Health Network that outlines the case for health care organizations’ involvement in food production systems. Specific concerns addressed include antibiotic resistance, foodborne illness, and environmental health. Food & Food Purchasing: A Role for Health Care (PDF) An information sheet from Health Care Without Harm that discusses how the health care industry can use its purchasing power to bring positive changes in areas such as pollution, community health, worker health and safety, and nutrition. The sheet highlights examples of changes made in hospitals and health centers across the country and lists steps other health organizations may want to consider. London Food Link Hospital Food Project Distribution Research Report (PDF) This in-depth research report explores the distribution barriers which existed for local and local organic food producers and suppliers in southeast England to sell to London, and for purchasing organizations (e.g. hospitals) to buy locally made and distributed foods. While the report is specific to London, the challenges and solutions discussed in the report are relevant to other areas, and may spur thinking about local application of lessons learned. |
Alison Negrin, John Muir Hospital
Promote Healthy Foods