June 2010 - Program Updates

Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance (OCDPA)

Common Messages

The Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance (OCDPA), in consultation with external experts, has developed messages for use by individuals, groups, and organizations to focus attention and promote collective action on chronic disease prevention issues and to improve the health of Ontarians. The evidence-informed messages address the following chronic disease risk factors:

  • High-Risk Alcohol Consumption
  • Physical Inactivity
  • Poor Mental Health
  • Tobacco Use/Exposure
  • Unhealthy Eating

Documents which support the use of the evidence-informed messages are now available on the OCDPA website. The documents provide context to the project, background on the risk factor as it relates to chronic disease, an overview of evidence which supports the messages, and references.

Review of Social Assistance Rates

The OCDPA commented on the review of Social Assistance Rates, part of Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy, Breaking the Cycle, and advised that:

  • it is critical that the annual estimated cost of the nutritious food basket be used to inform the social assistance rates;
  • the allowance for transportation, clothing, and personal care items should be adjusted for inflation annually; and
  • the shelter component maximum for Ontario Works (OW) clients be set at 85–100% of the median market rent for each local housing market, based on annual surveys conducted by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

The both the Minister of Children and Youth Services, and Minister of Community and Social Services have each provided a response to OCDPA’s requests.

Exploring the Evidence and Finding Solutions: A Forum on the Links Between Early Environmental Exposures and Chronic Diseases

On October 6, 2009, the Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health & Environment (CPCHE) and the Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance (OCDPA) held a Forum in Toronto entitled “Exploring the Evidence and Finding Solutions: A Forum on the Links Between Early Environmental Exposures and Chronic Diseases”. The overall goal for the Forum was to explore the links between early environmental exposures to toxic chemicals and the development of chronic disease.

The forum summary and presentation slides are available on the OCDPA website.

 

Evaluation of the Eat Smart!® Workplace Program

The Nutrition Resource Centre (NRC) has provided provincial coordination to the Eat Smart!® Workplace Program since its inception in 2002. Until recently, there have not been the resources to conduct any outcome evaluations of the program. A funding opportunity through CIHR to evaluate a program that was undergoing change became available. NRC partnered with Compass Canada and McGill University to conduct the research.

The objectives of this research were to address the current lack of outcome evaluation data for point of purchase (POP) nutrition programs and whether or not the evidence supports the use of these programs in the workplace. To accomplish this, the research addressed the following questions:

  1. Does Eat Smart!® increase the amount of healthier foods and decrease the amount of less healthy foods purchased by cafeteria operators?
  2. Does the implementation of Eat Smart!® lead to improved food intakes among a sample of employees who eat at the cafeteria?
  3. Do the Eat Smart!® promotional materials increase employee awareness of the Eat Smart!® Workplace Program?

To answer these questions, Compass Canada selected 16 worksite cafeterias (eight intervention and eight control) located around the Greater Toronto Area, Cambridge, and London to participate in the research. NRC worked with the local health units to implement the Eat Smart!® Workplace Program (including a new standard for workplace vending machines) in the eight intervention sites. Additionally, NRC created POP materials for use in the intervention sites.

From October to December 2008, purchasing data from each worksite was collected. The use of food purchasing data was used as an estimate of the food consumed in the workplace. In addition, a sample of employees eating in each cafeteria were asked to report on all foods consumed, either brought from home or purchased, while in the cafeteria. These two measures were repeated between March and May 2009.

Currently, analysis of purchasing records is being completed and results are expected in the summer of 2010. In addition, food records of 541 employees are being analyzed for calories, fat, saturated fat, fibre, sodium, and food group. This data is also expected later this year.

The biggest challenge encountered with this research was maintaining the sample size. Due to the realities of this type of program and research, a total of five sites were lost for a variety of reasons (four intervention and one control). Another challenge was obtaining a complete set of purchasing data from each worksite. Several cafeterias purchased foods from suppliers other than Compass Canada. As a result, invoices from other companies needed to be collected.

NRC will use the findings from this research to ensure that the Eat Smart!® Workplace Program is as effective and as relevant as possible.