Back to Annual Meeting

Back to Annual Meeting

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Venice Brigham¹, Joyce Jones Guinyard, DC², and Gwendolyn Flynn². (1) REACH 2010 Project, Community Health Councils, Inc, 3731 Stocker Street Suite 201, Los Angeles, CA 90008, (2) REACH 2010 Project, Community Health Councils, Inc., 3731 Stocker Street Suite 201, Los Angeles, CA 90008, 323-295-9372, gwen@chc-inc.org

Background Community Health Councils, Inc. (CHC), a non-profit community-based health promotion, advocacy and policy organization, serves as one of 40 central coordinating organizations for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention REACH 2010 Project. A collaborative of the CHC/REACH 2010 project (African Americans Building a Legacy of Health) developed a set of nutritional Standards of Quality (SofQ) as a yardstick by which all food vendors in the targeted South Los Angeles communities could be measured.

Description of Objectives The CHC/REACH 2010 Economic Parity Advisory Committee recognized that the SofQ, if widely adopted, could be an effective tool for engaging consumer advocates as well as changing industry practices and policies. With the assistance of a research communication consultant the collaborative identified strategies for advancing the adoption of the SofQ.

Statement of Methods Used The SofQ were introduced to generate discussion between consumers, food policy advocates and policy makers regarding dominant structures that shape barriers to policy change. In addition, the standards serve as a vehicle for improving quality products and services within existing venues. Required adoption of the standards is advocated for all new food retailers - including farmers markets, grocers and vendors seeking to conduct business with the City/County of Los Angeles.

Summary of Results 1) Campaign promotion of the SofQ begins April 2006, targeting consumers, policy makers and food retailers. 2) Development of broad-based standards 3) Development of strategies for promotion and dissemination of the SofQ

Statement of Conclusion Increasing healthy food options through policy requires multiple collaborative stakeholders.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the benefits of working collaboratively toward developing and advancing nutrition policy 2)Identify the policy implications of nutrition standards

Keywords: African American, Policy/Policy Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No