1. A Snapshot of the Food Environment In West County West County HEAL Project Presentation 4/15/08

2. Communities of Excellence The Communities of Excellence in Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Prevention (CX 3 ) project takes a look at select low-income neighborhoods* in Contra Costa County to measure the nutrition environment and identify opportunities for improvement. CX 3 was designed by the California Department of Public Health’s Network for a Health California. Neighborhoods with 50% or more residents at < 185% of the federal poverty level

3. Obesity on the Rise

4. Understanding the Problem 1.More than half of all adults are overweight or obese 2.Likelihood of being overweight is influenced by the environment in which you live 3.In California there are four times as many unhealthy food outlets as healthy outlets 4.Low-income communities tend to have the poorest food choices

5. The Cost of Obesity 1.Significant increase in related chronic diseases 2.Obesity is taking a toll on the County’s economy:  Increased health care costs  Increased workers compensation costs  Increased absenteeism  Lost productivity  Reduced competitiveness

6. Mapping the Neighborhoods Contra Costa Health Services, in partnership with the West County HEAL Project, Opportunity West and Eco-Village, collected and analyzed local data from April 2007 to April 2008 in three steps: 1. Geographic Information System website 2. Field surveys of neighborhood stores 3. Standardized scoring system developed by CX 3

7. West County Youth 14 youth conducted the surveys

8. West County Neighborhoods North Richmond 23 rd Street Corridor Iron Triangle

9. Neighborhood Food Store Quality Access, availability, quality and promotion of nutritious foods are key measurements of a healthy environment Stores scoring 75/100 or better met “quality standards” Scores were awarded on a variety of factors

10. Criteria for Measuring Quality Access Price Availability Nutrition Information Exterior Advertising Interior Advertising & Promotions Walkability & Safety

11. Iron Triangle Stores Store 164.5 Store 279.5 Store 346.5 Store 446.5 Store 558 Store 651.5 Store 723.5

12. North Richmond Stores Store 118 Store 216 Store 327

13. 23 rd Street Corridor Stores 6 total stores in Richmond Store 154 Store 264 Store 353.5 Store 456 Store 565 Store 655 2 total stores in eligible census tract 11 stores in San Pablo – not analyzed

14. Raising the Score Store 6 in the Iron Triangle51.5 points WIC + signs5.5 Quality of fruit6.0 Skim milk2.0 Retail program, info5.0 Ads and promos6.0 Total extra points24.5 TOTAL POINTS76

15. Raising the Score Store 2 on 23 rd Street64 points Food stamp signs1.5 Skim milk2.0 Whole grain product2.0 Frozen F or V1.0 Nutrition info2.0 Ads and promos4.0 Total extra points12.5 TOTAL POINTS76.5

16. Fast Food Score The marketing of fast food takes a variety of forms and shapes the diet and expectations of a neighborhood Stores scoring 37/50 or better met “quality standards” Scores were awarded on a variety of factors There are few fast food restaurants in these West County neighborhoods All scored well below the “quality” threshold

17. Key Neighborhood Findings Our neighborhoods are out-of-balance from a nutrition and health perspective Characterized by limited access to affordable, healthy foods Within the Iron Triangle’s small stores, there are healthy staple items but little produce Within stores along 23 rd Street in Richmond, there is good produce but it is expensive. There are fewer healthy staple items Within North Richmond, there is very little that is healthy

18. Tackling Challenges, Seizing Opportunities Explore how new WIC package can enhance offerings in Iron Triangle and along 23 rd Street Explore how CDBG and redevelopment could impact stores Explore increasing capacity of North Richmond Flea Market/North Richmond produce market? What else is going on? How can we collaborate?

19. This material was funded by USDA’s Food Stamp Program through the California Department of Public Health’s Network for a Healthy California. Contra Costa Health Services provided additional funding. These institutions are equal opportunity providers and employers. The Food Stamp Program provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help buy nutritious food for a better diet. For information of the Food Stamp Program, call 1-888-328- 3483. Insert county logo