Healthy Food Not Accessible to Families

There are few things that genuinely surprise me, but the lack of accessibility of healthy food to families was downright shocking to me. The fact that my own state, Washington, only scored a 12 out of a possible 100 points is disappointing. At the Seattle weight loss and Bainbridge Island weight loss offices of Slender For Life™ I coach clients on how to easily and inexpensively prepare great tasting healthy plant-based meals. As a nation, we cannot afford this unnecessary epidemic of obesity. We absolutely must reform healthcare and that begins with each one of us taking responsibility for our own health care. It is time for each of us to step up to the plate healthy plant-based meals.

CDC: Kids Lack Access to Healthy Food Choices

WebMD, April 26, 2011: Limited access to healthy foods in most U.S. states may be making it more difficult to instill healthy eating habits in children and may be fueling the childhood obesity epidemic.

A new CDC report shows 32 states and the District of Columbia scored at or below the national average for the Modified Retail Food Environment Index, an indicator of access to retailers that sell healthy foods, like fresh fruits and vegetables.

Based on a range from zero (no food retailers that typically sell healthy food) to 100 (only food retailers that sell healthy food), the national average score was 10. The highest-scoring states were Montana and Maine, with scores of 16 and 15, respectively. Rhode Island and the District of Columbia ranked at the bottom of the index with scores of 5 and 4, respectively.

“To feed their children healthy food at home, parents must have ready access to stores that sell affordable, healthy food,” says William Dietz, MD, PhD, director of CDC’s division of nutrition, physical activity, and obesity, in a news release.

Researchers say lack of access to supermarkets and other venues where healthy foods are available for sale have been associated with a lower quality diet and increased risk of obesity.

In addition, some studies suggest that greater access to convenience stores and fast-food restaurants where healthy choices may not be readily available or may cost more is linked to a greater risk of obesity.

Childhood obesity has tripled over the past 30 years. This report underscores the need to make healthier choices easier for kids and more accessible and affordable for parents. Here are some important points:

* An average of 49% of middle and high schools allowed less healthy foods like candy, soft drinks, and fast food to be advertised on school grounds. In Ohio, nearly 70% allow it compared with only 24% of schools in New York.
* About 64% of middle and high schools offer sugary drinks in vending machines or snack bars, ranging from a high of 80% in Kansas to a low of 16.7% in Connecticut.
* As of December 2008, only one state, Georgia, had enacted all three state licensing regulations for child care facilities recommended by the CDC to encourage healthy eating and exercise habits among children (restrict sugary drinks, require access to drinking water throughout the day, and limit TV and computer screen time).

To see how your state ranks, read CDC: Kids Lack Access to Healthy Food Choices

My book, Becoming Slender For Life and its hypnosis CD set supports you in making real health care reform so that you can lose weight and keep it off. Discover what hypnosis for weight loss can do for you and for your family and put an end to the national travesty of obesity. Step up to the plate with plant-based meals and do your part for healthcare reform

Check out Slender For Life™ and call (206) 903-1232 or email for your free consultation.

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