Duane Hicks
The Northwestern Health Unit is asking the town to consider a “Healthy Food Choices in Public Places” policy within the corporation and at community events.
Julie Slack, a registered dietitian with the Northwestern Health Unit, said less one percent of Canadians are eating according to Canada’s Food Guide and society has lost control of its “food environment.”
Larger portions, the availability of food, food marketing to youth and the normalization of junk food, and the “go-go-go-lifestyle” and decrease in food skills (e.g., cooking and reading food labels) of many people has led to unhealthy eating habits.
However, implementing a healthy food policy can influence how people live and eat by creating a supportive environment and providing healthy food choices.
A supportive environment is more than making healthy choices available to individuals, Slack explained.
In a supportive environment, the onus is not placed on individuals to resist the environment in order to maintain good health, she noted.
Rather, the healthy food choice is the default choice.
Providing examples, Slack noted that instead of having doughnuts at a meeting, fruit could be served.
Instead of serving hotdogs and pop at a community event, pulled pork on a whole wheat bun and water could be provided.
While this all may sound like a drastic change, Slack said implementing such a policy and having only healthy food options available is feasible.
After all, it was not so long ago that smoking was banned in restaurants.
Slack noted the Northwestern Health Unit implemented a healthy meeting and events policy, which includes healthy food choices.
The health unit recently held an online “Citizens’ Panel” and learned that participants felt the health unit should be working on healthy food policies for community events, workplaces, and recreation centres.
The health unit now is asking Fort Frances, as well as other municipalities in the catchment area, to:
•develop a comprehensive food policy; or
•develop comprehensive events policy; or
•review existing event policies, procedures, and application forms and add language that includes healthy food choices recommendations.
The health unit will help the town with:
•a definition of what constitutes a healthy food or beverage choice;
•availability/accessibility/affordability of healthy food choices (including local food);
•promotion of healthy choices through messaging and information;
•education and training about healthy eating choices for staff/communities; and
•food safety.
Coun. Wendy Brunetta said her employer, Kenora and Rainy River District Child and Family Services, implemented a healthy meeting policy and it’s working well.
“We’ve developed a policy about having healthier choices at our meetings for snacks and the fact that, if [the meeting’s] more than an hour, we should stand up or have some movement so you’re not sitting [for too long],” she noted.
“I think as an organization, we could do that as well for our employees,” added Coun. Brunetta.
“But in terms of our community as a whole, I think that’s where it’s a little harder to visualize,” she remarked, asking whether the town would, for example, ask for the canteen at the arena to have more healthy food choices?
Slack replied the town can choose to do “whatever works,” and can opt to have a healthy food policy apply to its meetings, community events, or the rec centre, or any combination of the three.
“Rec centres are a tough one,” she admitted. “It’s interesting that it’s a tough one because that’s where our kids are active so we should be fuelling their health, but it’s a tough one.
“I’m not saying, ‘This is what you need to do,’” Slack stressed.
“I’m saying, ‘Let’s go together and figure out what needs to be done? What does the town want?’” she noted.
Council received Slack’s presentation.
