PREPARED BY:
Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention
DATE:
March 21, 2024
SUBJECT:
Nutrition Month and Nutrition Programming
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE
For the past 40 years, March has been celebrated as Nutrition Month across Canada. Nutrition month is a time to recognize the field of dietetics, to reflect on past practices, and to highlight nutritional needs in the community. Food and nutrition interact and intersect with almost every department within a public health unit. Public health nutrition uses population and health promotion approaches and strategies focused on the assessment, promotion, protection and enhancement of health, and the prevention of nutrition-related diseases. Public health nutrition requires the leadership of Registered Dietitians with expertise in nutrition and related public health sciences, as the field of nutrition constantly evolves and changes. Registered Dietitians ensure that best practices are consistently updated and applied to public health practice.
CURRENT INITIATIVES
Nutrition programing at the WECHU addresses barriers to achieving consistent eating behaviours with a focus on decreasing food insecurity and increasing food literacy in our community. Past and present interventions that support this work are described below.
Nutrition Month – March 2024
To celebrate Nutrition Month, Dietitians of Canada is shining a spotlight on the dietetic profession to recognize and acknowledge the impact of dietitians nationwide. Locally, the WECHU is focusing on changing the current environment surrounding food and nutrition, through the education and promotion of using a food neutral approach to eating.
- A newsletter and social media campaign on food neutrality was promoted throughout March.
- Food & Nutrition section of the WECHU website updated to reflect food neutral language change.
- Partnered with the University of Windsor’s student food pantry to provide sessions on food neutrality and how to nourish the body with a limited budget.
- Food neutrality online training will be released later this year, to continue to support community partners and community members in making this change.
Food Insecurity Initiatives
Food insecurity is a growing Public Health concern, because it is so tightly linked to adverse health outcomes, above and beyond the influence of other social determinants of health.
- Monitoring Food Affordability: WECHU continues to release food affordability surveillance data to help inform decision making in our community.
- The Real Cost of Eating Report was released in November of 2023.
- After presenting the findings of the 2023 report at a local Feed Ontario event, the CDIP Nutritionist was interviewed and quoted in 9 media reports.
- Briefing note on food insecurity sent to Senator Burey in September of 2023.
- Data collection for 2024 will occur in May, with report findings to be released in the fall.
- Food Insecurity Screening: A food insecurity screening tool and associated trainings will be created by the WECHU in 2024.
- Data on food insecurity in certain demographics is limited.
- Screening allows health care providers and community partners the ability to identify and support clients who are experiencing food insecurity, while providing accurate data to ensure supports are being utilized effectively.
Food Literacy Initiatives
Food literacy impacts how easily a person can implement healthy eating behaviours. Food literacy includes interconnected attributes organized into the categories of food and nutrition knowledge; food skills; self-efficacy and confidence; food decisions; and ecologic (external) factors.
- You Can Cook Video Series: The You Can Cook video series is a virtual food skill program that teaches basic food skills in five minutes or less. There are 15 videos in the series, with each video building on the previous skills taught as the series progresses.
- Since 2022 the series has had over 4,600 views between all videos, and an additional 3,700 views of the series trailer.
- Community partners and other Health Units in Ontario are utilizing these videos to help support food skill building with their clients, and they will continue to be promoted throughout 2024.
- You’re the Chef train the trainer program: Through key partner interviews, the need for hands on food skill training is high in our community.
- The You’re the Chef train the trainer program will be provided to community partners and teachers to facilitate their own, 6-week food-skill program. Training will occur throughout 2024.
- Food and Mental Health: In addition to food skills training, nutrition and mental health training was highlighted as a community need.
- Capacity building for service providers, as well as presentations for priority populations, around building positive relationships with food and body and the intersections between diet culture and food insecurity will be delivered.
- This education will also work to reduce the potential harm when providing care, while creating a safe, inclusive space for all.
The registered dietitians at WECHU are committed to continuing to advocate for equitable access to food and adequate incomes, improve physical and social food environments, and enhance the local food system.