Debbie Fields from Foodshare Toronto, recently asked the question "Is food
security the same as income security?" I think there is alot of overlap
between the two, and yes, while it is important to acknowledge that
individual choices impact on our eating habits, the work of  food security
networks across the province would indicate that income levels are a big
issue in terms of the eating habits of the poor. In terms of healthy eating
issues for the middle and upper classes, however, there are a number of
environmental factors that impact on the safety of the foods that they
eat.(Of course, these environmental factors impact on the poor as well.)
One only has to read Vandana Shiva, scientist and environmental activist,
or Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D., Ecologist, Cancer Survivor, author of Living
Downstream, to realize that while people with money have access to fruits
and  vegetables, those foods may contain hazardous toxins. With respect to
building community capacity for healthy eating, the work of Foodshare, the
TFPC and other food security networks (many of whom are led by or include
health promoters or nutritionists) provides us with excellent examples of
community-based initiatives to impact on policies and programs to improve
people's access to healthy foods. Here are their websites.
Foodshare:   http://www.foodshare.net
Toronto Food Policy Council:  Can be reached through the Ryerson Food
security website, at www.ryerson.ca/~foodsec/

Monique Beaudoin
Northeastern Ont. Community Animator/Animatrice regionale du nord-est
Ont. Healthy Communities Coalition/Coalition des Communautes en sante de
l'Ontario
http://www.healthycommunities.ca


-----Original Message-----
From:   Robb Travers [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   Wednesday, January 08, 2003 1:43 PM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Re: community capcity for healthy eating

 Hi Jacquie -- yes, I agree with your point about 'human agency'....we are
indeed not mere puppets on a string.  I do think, however, that class
advantage in our advanced societies better equips some people to make these
'good decisions' about their health.  As Hersh and Sherrie so eloquently
pointed out, the concerns of the poor are often not focussed on
diet/nutrition but on other pressing life stressors related to poverty.

Robb Travers, Ph.D (c)
Research Associate,
HIV/AIDS Social Research Group
KTH 208, McMaster University,
Hamilton, ON
905 977-7622

Research Affiliate,
HIV Social, Behavioural & Epidemiological Studies Unit,
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto,
Toronto, ON
[log in to unmask]


----- Original Message -----
From: "Jacquie Poitras" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: January 8, 2003 4:35 PM
Subject: Re: community capcity for healthy eating


> I recognize that health and healthy eating have many social determinants.
> Every choice we make is based, in part, on societal factors,
dis/advanatage,
> peer group, consumerism--you name it.  But in the end, it is us as
individuals
> who make decisions about our lives.  We are agents who act in a manner to
> improve our health or who choose "unhealthy" options.  All the discussion
about
> determinants of health and resolving problems by focusing on "root
issues"
> needs to also address the role of individuals in promoting their own
health.
>
> What seems to be missing here is an understanding that individual agency
does
> not conflict with social determinants--both have an impact on the health
of
> populations.  And action at both levels is necessary for true change.
>
> Jacquie Poitras
>
>  --- Robb Travers <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > you
said..........."While
the
> average welfare recipient may not have a ton
> > of
> > > money to throw around, they are still given some money and the choice
> > between
> > > buying nutritious food or fast food.  Giving them more money does not
> > remove
> > > the choice.  Part of our work is to instil the value of health in
everyone
> > so
> > > that everyone, regardless of income or advantage, makes the
healthiest
> > choices
> > > they can."
> >
> > Implicit in these words is a 'moral imperative' about what constitutes
> > 'healthy eating' and the 'proper ways' in which one should spend their
money
> > (especially welfare recipients).  So little is understood about the
meaning
> > of fast food in the lives of the poor, the links between consumerism,
fast
> > food and obesity, and the 'reasons' why poor people appear to make
'poor'
> > decisions about food.  We do know that middle-class people with stable,
> > financial lives are better able to make 'good decisions' about food and
> > nutrition, about smoking, and about all of those other 'lifestyle'
factors
> > that everyone in this field seems to believe accounts for good health.
I
> > quote....."instilling the value of health in everyone " is a moralistic
> > statement that will accomplish little in improving the health of the
poor.
> > Indeed, there is an entire body of literature bantered around this
listserv
> > to prove otherwise.........why is it being ignored?
> >
> >
> > Robb Travers, Ph.D (c)
> > Research Associate,
> > HIV/AIDS Social Research Group
> > KTH 208, McMaster University,
> > Hamilton, ON
> > 905 977-7622
> >
> > Research Affiliate,
> > HIV Social, Behavioural & Epidemiological Studies Unit,
> > Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto,
> > Toronto, ON
> > [log in to unmask]
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > From: "Jacquie Poitras" <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > Sent: January 8, 2003 2:42 PM
> > Subject: Re: community capcity for healthy eating
> >
> >
> > > I think that is a very narrow point of view to take.  To say that we,
as
> > public
> > > health practitioners, shouldn't be focusing on the nutrition habits
of
> > > disadvantaged people because we wouldn't do the same for the
middle-cl
ass
> > is,
> > > quite frankly, a cop-out.  We work within a certain framework--the
social,
> > > cultural and economic structure that surrounds us--and we need to
> > acknowledge
> > > that in our work.  While the average welfare recipient may not have a
ton
> > of
> > > money to throw around, they are still given some money and the choice
> > between
> > > buying nutritious food or fast food.  Giving them more money does not
> > remove
> > > the choice.  Part of our work is to instill the value of health in
> > everyone so
> > > that everyone, regardless of income or advantage, makes the
healthiest
> > choices
> > > they can.
> > >
> > > More money is not the solution--though it may be part of a more
> > comprehensive
> > > policy and program initiative.  The solution is changing knowledge,
> > attitudes
> > > and behaviours at the individual level, resulting in a global impact.
> > >
> > > Jacquie Poitras
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >  --- Dennis Raphael <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >
you
> > may
> > > see it, but the populationn health survey indicates otherwsie.
> > > >
> > > > I do not see public health nurses going into Rosedale to tell
middle
> > class
> > > > people how to live their lives,
> > > >
> > > > dennis
> > > >
> > > > Send one line: unsubscribe click4hp to: [log in to unmask] to
unsubscribe
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> > > subscription
> > >
> > >
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