HUNGRY FOR A CHANGE SUMMIT 2015

The Hungry For A Change Summit 2015, hosted by Hunger Free Colorado, was attended by two of theJCPH Nutrition Services/WIC staff on September 29, 2015. Hunger Free Colorado leads efforts to connect families and individuals to food resources and to fuel changes in systems, policies and social views, so no Coloradan goes hungry. Hunger Free Colorado is the state’s leading anti-hunger organization leveraging the power of collaboration, system change, policy change and social change to end hunger in Colorado. Below are a few highlights from the summit.

• The Hunger Free Colorado Partnership with Kaiser Permanente connects patients to food and nutrition resources. At child wellness visits, patients are screened for food insecurity by asking: “When was the last time you worried whether your food would run out before you had money to buy more?”  Patients with positive screens are referred electronically to a community specialist, who assess for other social needs and also (with client permission) fax a referral to Hunger Free Colorado who will reach out to each referred member and connect them to nutritional assistance programs or other nutritional resources. 

• “We Need to Think of Food Stamps as Medicine.” By reducing food insecurity, food stamps can  decrease a child’s risk of:

• Hospitalization
• Poor health
• Iron deficiency anemia
• Deficits in cognitive development
• Behavioral and emotional problems

• 1 in 7 Coloradans struggle with hunger, facing times when there is not enough money to buy food

• 1 in 5 kids are hungry and those under the age of 6 are most likely to be in poverty 

• More than 1 in 7 Colorado Seniors are unsure of when or where they will get their next meal.

Other topics at the Hungry for A Change Summit included:

• Take Action To Address Childhood Hunger
• Yes, We Can Impact Federal Policy
• Creation of the Colorado Food Pantry Network
• Helping Our Future by Helping Our Kids - Creative ways to expand access to summer and after-school meals that help benefit children’s cognitive abilities, physical development, school readiness and future eating habits. 
• Around the State in 50 Minutes - An interactive session to share and learn what others around the state are doing to alleviate and solve hunger. 

For more information about Hunger Free Colorado and to learn how you can help
go to www.hungerfreecolorado.org.  For an overview on the summit, including powerpoint presentation, story compilations and social media posts, visit the website.

HUNGER FREE HOTLINE:

855-855-4626 TOLL-FREE, STATEWIDE, MULTILINGUAL

What’s Driving Poor Health in Jeffco?

When it comes to the health of the people of Jefferson County, five risk factors are the main drivers of poor health as determined by the Community Health Assessment (CHA) released last year. These factors are poor diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use and exposure, alcohol use, and stress-- all of which are risk factors of cardiovascular disease (heart attack and stroke). In 2013, one out of every four deaths in the county was due to cardiovascular disease, making it the leading cause of death in Jefferson County. Directly addressing the risk factors can greatly increase overall health.

A new study from Sweden published this month in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology has shown that Jefferson County is not alone. The study found that the combination of healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, moderate alcohol consumption, no smoking, and being physically active may prevent 4 out of 5 heart attacks. Furthermore, the number of heart attacks decreased as positive behavior and lifestyle changes made around these five risk factors increased.

Good health starts long before you need medical attention, and you have control of and can improve many of the factors that contribute largely to your well-being. Whether it’s quitting smoking, creating a healthier diet, committing to an exercise plan, cutting down on your spirits consumption, or reducing stress in your life, or a combination of any of the factors—even small steps in the right direction is a great start!

Visit Jefferson County Public Health’s Healthy People, Healthy Places Jeffco website dedicated to improving health in the county through finding solutions to health issues and providing tips on healthy living, working, and playing.