Healthy Food Connect

Telling a story through data

Dana Thomson

Communities Health Promotion Officer

Healthy Together Bendigo

• Healthy Together Bendigo (HTB) is an obesity prevention initiative

• Jointly funded by the State Government of Victoria and the Australian Government

• HTB is one of 14 LGA’s delivering the Healthy Together initiative

• City of Greater Bendigo in partnership with Bendigo Community Health Services

Healthy Food Connect

Full support resources available online: http://health.vic.gov.au/prevention/initiatives/healthy-food-connect.htm

VLGA Food Security Scan Tool

Preceding / Concurrent Projects

• ‘A Thought for Food – Greater Bendigo Food Security Research Paper’ adopted by Council January 2013

• Bendigo Food Forum ‘Grow Share Cook Source – Greater Bendigo Let’s Connect!’ held on 3 June 2013

Mapping method - food

Using environmental health databases:

‘Fruit & vegetable access’ mapped

• Class 2B02 – Supermarket Large

• Class 2B05 – Supermarket Small

• Class 3B05 – Greengrocery Preparing/Selling Cut Produce

‘Take-away food’ access mapped

• Class 2B07 – Takeaway food outlet

• Class 2B08 – Fast food chain

• Class 2C04 – Ice-cream shop

• Class 3A04 – Convenience Store

Mapping method - alcohol

Full Club Licence General Licence

Limited Licence Open liquor – over the counterOn-premise LicenceRestricted Club Licence

Restaurant and Cafe Licence Open liquor – with food

Late night (general Licence) Open liquor – late nightLate night (on-premises) Licence

Packaged Liquor Licence Packaged liquor

BYO PermitExemption Bed & BreakfastExemption ButcherExemption FloristExemption Gift ServiceExemption HairdresserWine and Beer Producer's LicencePre-retail Licence

• Excel spreadsheet of all liquor licences currently within Greater Bendigo: obtained from Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR)

• 17 different liquor licencing categories 4 broad categories (as per below)

• Mapped by 4 broad categories

FINDINGS: Health and wellbeing dimensions and opportunities

• 9,466 or 9.4% of the Greater Bendigo population (adults plus dependent children) are considered ‘food insecure’

• Higher than the Victorian average of 5.6% for adults

• 10% of 19 to 25 year olds ran out of food more than once a month and another 10% ran out of food less than once a month (and did not have enough money to buy more)

• This indicates this age group are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity in Greater Bendigo

• Alcohol use in the Loddon Mallee Region is higher than the state average and the rate of non-drinkers in the region is lower than the state

FINDINGS: Built environment dimensions and opportunities

Food

Figure 5. Composition of Retail Food Outlets by Store Type in Greater Bendigo

FINDINGS: Built environment dimensions and opportunities

Food

Figure 6. Supermarket Share in Greater Bendigo

RATIO 1 fresh food : 5 take away / fast food : 11 alcohol

Urban Bendigo

Overall findings

• For every one fresh food outlet (supermarket or greengrocer) there are 4.8 take away or fast food outlets in Greater Bendigo.

• Per 10,000 people in Greater Bendigo there are 2.9 fresh food outlets (supermarkets and greengrocers), 13.8 take away / fast food outlets and 30.6 liquor licenced outlets / premises.

• ‘Food deserts’ exist in residential areas where there is limited access to daily food needs.

Rural Greater Bendigo - Heathcote

Food Security Report Recommendations

Incentives for healthy choicesAccess to local food

Strengthen FSPUD

Investigate feasibility

Greater Bendigo Food Policy

Information portal

Council Catering & Procurement policy

What are we doing now?

• Food Security Report recommendations awaiting endorsement by Council

• IGA partnership – ‘healthy supermarket’ intervention

• Golden Plate Awards 2013 & 2014 – hospitality incentive

• Bendigo Dining & Shopping Guide – ‘healthy options’ symbol introduced

• CoGB Catering & Procurement Policy in development

• Active Living Census – data on fruit & vegetable intake, alcohol consumption

• Policy and Planning team writing a Council position paper on alcohol in Greater Bendigo

Greater Bendigo Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2013 - 2017

Actions relevant to food security:

• “Support to improve healthy food supply and access by development and implementation of specific strategies to address identified nutrition issues for subpopulation groups and regional locations, especially vulnerable populations”

•“Support community initiatives which increase access to healthy food and develop knowledge and skills around healthy eating”

Draft Council Plan 2014-2015

Actions relevant to food security

3.5 People, especially those who are vulnerable and people moving into new growth areas, are enabled to be the healthiest they can be

3.5.3 – Implement recommendations from the Greater Bendigo Food Security Report 2014 including investigation of establishing a Regional Food Hub and Distribution Centre

3.6 Residents have access to environments and settings that support safe and healthy living

Related Greater Bendigo Liveability Indicators

•Reverse the negative trend in Bendigo compared to state-wide or national obesity benchmarks

•Decrease to 50% or less the proportion of Greater Bendigo people who do not meet fruit and vegetable dietary guidelines

•Increase in municipal-wide average SEIFA index of disadvantage