Food Stamp Nutrition Education: Promoting Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyles

1. Food Stamp Nutrition Education:Promoting Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyles Alberta Frost Karen Walker Food and Nutrition Service U.S. Department of Agriculture

2. FNS Programs: Reaching People Across Generations�

3. FNS Strategic Plan

6. FNS Nutrition EducationObligations Per Participant- FY 2004

7. Food Stamp Program Participants

8. Change perceptions: from food assistance to nutrition assistance Move from coupons to Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Increase program access Connect nutrition education Potential change in �Name�

9. Food StampNutrition Education

10. Food StampNutrition Education

11. Types ofImplementing Agencies 45% are CES 18% are networks 37% are other organizations

12. Approved Federal Funding for FSP Nutrition Education,FY1992 to FY 2004

13. Food Stamp Nutrition Education: The Flexibility Paradox States have considerable flexibility: Goals and objectives Target groups Interventions & educational strategies Service delivery settings

14. Challenges of FSNE Flexibility Messages are fragmented and diluted Different interpretations about appropriate activities and expenditures that qualify for federal reimbursement Nutrition education frequently not recognized as part of the FSP No clear picture of what services are offered to whom Not much is known about achievement of program nutrition goals

15. 2003 Review of FSP byOffice of Management and Budget Assessment: �The program is better designed to reduce hunger and malnutrition related to inadequate income, than to achieve further incremental improvements in the dietary status of low income people.� Key Recommendation: �[USDA] will develop a plan for the use of Federal and state program funds to improve nutrition among program participants [, including] clear goals, quantifiable outcomes, and specificactions to be undertaken��

16. Re-Engineering  Food Stamp Nutrition Education

17. The Need for Change:Rising Obesity Rates 65% of adults aged 20-74 are overweight or obese Percentage of children who are overweight has doubled from 7% to 15% in past 20 years Percentage of adolescents who are overweight has almost tripled from 5% to 16% About 60.5% of people who earn $15,000 to $75,000 are overweight or obese, compared with 56% of people who earn more than $75,000

18. The Need for Change:Growing Health Problems Overweight, obesity and physical inactivity are major risk factors for chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer 400,000 deaths a year related to poor diet and physical inactivity � the second leading cause of preventable death (after smoking) Diabetes has increased by 49% in past 10 years, reflecting strong correlation with obesity; 1 in 3 persons born in 2000 will develop diabetes if no change in current health habits

19. The Need for Change:Major Social Costs $123 billion per year in 2001 for overweight and obesity, direct costs: $64.1 billion, indirect costs: 58.8 billion. In 2003, the public paid about $39 billion -- or about $175 per taxpayer -- through Medicare and Medicaid programs for obesity-linked illnesses. If trends continue through 2020, up to one-fifth of health care expenditures would be devoted to treating the consequences of obesity

20. The Need for Change:Poor Dietary Behaviors

21. The Need for Change:Inadequate Physical Activity Over 50% of U.S. adults do not get adequate moderate physical activity (brisk walking, bicycling, vacuuming, gardening) Over 60% of children aged 9-13 years do not participate in any organized physical activity during non-school hours; over 20% do not engage in any free-time physical activity.

22. Re-Engineering  Food Stamp Nutrition Education

23. FSNE Policy Framework:What we want it to accomplish Increased focus on food stamp recipients, esp. women and children More focus on a few key messages Connect with Food Stamp Program Added referrals to nutrition & health services More collaboration with other FNS programs More involvement from FSP administrators

24. The Food Stamp Nutrition Education Framework is not: An effort to reduce funding for nutrition education A strategy to reduce access to food stamps A rejection or prohibition of social marketing An attempt to limit nutrition education to counseling or classes in the food stamp office.

25. USDA is interested in messages, strategies, audiences, venues, or other aspects of FSNE that will strengthen the program. We are seeking an approach that: reflects the interests of our partners is consistent with existing legal authorities, and meaningfully serves the 24 million persons who participate in the FSP.

26. Collaborative approach: internal and external consultation. Framework posted for public comment at www.fns.usda.gov/oane/menu/FSNE/FSNE.htm Comment period ended in July; FNS received more than 1,000 comments � for and against Key partners involved in compilationand analysis of comments

27. No decisions have been reached about the final Framework. FNS remains open to State and local issues and concerns, and will take the time necessary to continue discussions with partners. Once complete, FNS will provide a full briefing on results and recommendations. Implementation will occur throughrevised FSNE guidance andtimeframes.