The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #68549

Edith C. Kieffer, PhD¹, Amy Schulz, PhD², Teretha Hollis-Neely³, Richard Trice⁴, Giancarlo Guzman⁴, and Jessica Waechter, MPH, MSW¹. (1) Health Behavior & Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Room 5126, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, (2) Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, School of Public Health, 5134 SPH II, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, (3) Detroit Health Department, Eastside Village Healthworkers, 1151 Taylor St., Room 646B, Detroit, MI 48202, 313-876-4444, neelyth@health.ci.detroit.mi.us, (4) REACH Detroit Partnership, 3815 W. Fort Street, Detroit, MI 48216

Social determinants of health are those aspects of the social environment that influence individuals' access to, and use of, resources that are necessary to maintain health. Food and nutrition play important roles in promoting health and reducing risks associated with a wide variety of diseases and their complications throughout the life cycle, e.g. obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular and related diseases. Numerous barriers to adopting healthy eating recommendations exist among residents of low- resource urban communities, a fact that may be linked to the striking ethnic and geographic disparities in health. Promoting Healthy Eating in Detroit is a community-based participatory research project affiliated with the Detroit Community-Academic Research Center whose principal goal is to develop and sustain supportive community environments and policies aimed at increasing both supply of, and demand for,healthy foods by residents of eastside and southwest Detroit. This presentation will summarize first year project activities aimed at strengthening a food-related coalition of community, regional and state policy, program and organization leaders and community members; developing and expanding neighborhood Fruit and Vegetable Mini-Markets and Healthy Soul Food and Healthy Latino Food demonstrations, neighborhood healthy eating support groups and healthy food policies at community meetings. Future activities include programs aimed at increasing food supply by helping local stores and restaurants increase healthy food offerings on shelves and menus.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to:
• Identfy aspects of the social environment that influence individuals' access to and demand for healthy foods.
• Describe community-based strategies utilized by a Detroit partnership to improve access to and demand for healthy foods.

Keywords: Food and Nutrition, Social Inequalities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.