Nicole Lunger Community Issues Project December 9, 2011 Columbia Eats Their Vegetables Columbia, MO.

Eating healthy is easier said than done for those on a budget.

A study by New York Universitys Department of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health found that neighborhoods with decreased economic and social resources have higher rates of obesity. Its cheaper to buy fast food, microwavable dinners and simple sugars.

This is because the U.S. Department of Agriculture gives more than 90 percent of subsidies to farmers of wheat, corn, soybeans, rice and cotton, according to a study done by Cato Institute. Mass production of this cheap corn has changed the diet of every American by establishing a booming market for high-fructose corn syrup, which accounts for nearly half of the caloric sweeteners added to processed food.

The presence of processed food and fast food restaurants makes up what the Center of Disease Control and Prevention calls food deserts, which are areas that lack access to affordable fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk, and other foods that make up the full range of a healthy diet.

While low-income families across the country remain stranded in these food deserts, the city of Columbia prides itself in making healthy food accessible to all socioeconomic classes.

A study by the Interdisciplinary Center for Food Security at the University of Missouri shows that in Boone county, nearly 30 percent of residents have used a food pantry regularly for over a year, 58 percent of residents used the SNAP/Food Stamp Program in the last year, and 11 percent used the WIC Program (Women, Infant and Children).

Food pantry clients are much more likely to have levels of obesity, hypertension and diabetes, said Sandy Rikoon, Director of Interdisciplinary Center for Food Security.

Several local projects are working to fight the obesity epidemic by making fruits, vegetables and locally grown food affordable to people who utilize relief programs.

Most food pantries in Mid-Missouri, aside from Columbia, rely on donations from companies such as Pepsi Co., Oscar Myer, Frito Lay and Mars, said Jennifer Schnell, a nutrition research associate. This food is energy dense but not nutrient dense. We see a lot of hot dogs, soda and candy.

Still, as Rikoon pointed out, food pantries are great for providing people with food and are a critical part of the economic safety net, making sure people have enough to eat. However, the food pantries are more worried about getting food to people, not the nutritional value, said Sandy.

Sandy works on improving the food that is donated to pantries by educating donors. He is helping the food pantries start community gardens to increase fruit and vegetable donations.

Schnell and Robinson are working with a team of specialists at the University of Missouri on an intervention program at nine different food pantries across MidMissouri. Schnells role is to educate food pantry users about healthy eating habits.

A lot of these people dont have the time or knowledge to cook thats becoming more of a problem, Schnell said.

Recipes, food displays and cooking demos are now provided by regional nutrition specialists with the MU Extension program at these food pantries to show consumers how to use healthier, and perhaps less familiar, ingredients in their cooking.

Columbias food pantry was not included in the intervention group because they didnt need intervening, Schnell said.

Low-income residents in Columbia can shop at the pantry like they would at a grocery store. They go in, get a cart, shop the selves, check out and have their food bagged for them. If I did a food pantry, Schnell added, Id do it like Columbia the way they give food to their clients is very respectful.

Most pantries dont give the consumers a choice. Users walk in, tell how many children they have and their ages, and are given a pre-packed box of food.

Columbia is also fortunate to receive a lot of donations and fresh produce from farmers and local restaurants in the community.

Another change Schnell and her team are working on is creating pantry gardens run by the clients themselves, in hopes of increasing the availability of expensive fresh fruits and vegetables.

Similar community gardens continue to sprout up in Columbia neighborhoods under the PedNet Coalition, the largest private health philanthropy in the county, based in Columbia.

Two and a half years ago, PedNet received a grant of $400,000 to be spent over four years from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as part of an effort to reverse the obesity epidemic by 2015 and create long-term sustainability.

PedNet set up an umbrella group called Unite 4 Healthy Neighborhoods which comprises of six teams with various assignments including localizing food production, understanding the food-buying habits and increasing accessibility of fresh and healthy foods.

Were very happy with our progress, said Sam Robinson, the groups Healthy Community Initiatives Director. Columbia is considered one of nine leading sites out of the fifty community that were also given the grant.

He said a key ingredient to Columbias success is their community participatory model. Community members participate by growing their own food in neighborhood gardens and taking leadership roles in local programs such as WIC.

To further create access to affordable local produce, the WIC program gives a monthly stipend to mothers to shop at alternative food marts. For $25 worth of food stamps, WIC clients can get $50 of food at the Columbia Farmers Market.

As a leading community, Columbia continues to serve as a role model to other cities involved in the national initiative to make healthy food more accessible to lowincome families.

Source Sheet Sandy Rikoon Director of Interdisciplinary Center for Food Security RikoonSandy@missouri.edu Sam Robinson Healthy Community Initiatives Director of Unite 4 Healthy Neighborhoods Sam@pednet.org Jennifer Schnell MU Nutrition Research Associate Schnellje@missouri.edu New York Universitys Department of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080207163807.htm Interdisciplinary Center for Food Security at the University of Missouri Coping With Hunger: Food Pantry Clients and Households in the Service Region of the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri, October 2011 Agricultural Subsidies By Chris Edwards Study done by Cato Institute