The EDGE: USDA sees increase in food stamp usage

Dietitian teaches healthy lifestyle as path to wellness | Minn. nonprofit grocer offers discount for healthy food | Racial disparities seen in link between low vitamin D, heart risks

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July 10, 2013

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Healthy Start

USDA sees increase in food stamp usage
Nearly 1 in 6 Americans relies on food stamps to eat, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department. Food stamp use increased 2.8% in April compared with April 2012, with more than 15% of the population utilizing the program. Washington, D.C., and Mississippi reported the highest usage, with 23% and 22% of those populations participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Wyoming had the lowest usage, with 7% of the population participating. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model)/Real Time Economics blog (7/8), San Diego Union-Tribune (7/8), Kansas Health Institute (7/8)

Dietary Health

Dietitian teaches healthy lifestyle as path to wellness
Norma Thompson says she switched from working as a registered dietitian in a hospital to teaching classes about healthy lifestyle habits, including exercise and breathing techniques. She says people need to see that lifestyle habits affect wellness, and she recommends eating whole foods, avoiding sugars and polyunsaturated fats and emphasizing antioxidants. Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, Ill.) (7/8)

Minn. nonprofit grocer offers discount for healthy food
Fare for All Express is a nonprofit grocer in St. Paul, Minn., that gives a discount of at least 30% to help people afford healthy food. The company has grown to 23 locations since 2007. Director Sophia Lenarz-Coy says even though the economy is improving, many people still need the discount. Minnesota Public Radio (7/5)

Science & Research

Racial disparities seen in link between low vitamin D, heart risks
Low concentrations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D were associated with a greater likelihood of coronary heart disease among white and Chinese people, but not blacks or Hispanics, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. "We think that the differences are mainly due to biologic differences in vitamin D metabolism between race [and] ethnicity groups," but more research is needed, study author Cassianne Robinson-Cohen said. Family Practice News (7/9), WebMD/HealthDay News (7/9)

Other News

City, county leaders cite declines in childhood obesity rates
Healio/Endocrine Today (7/9)
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Fitness

Facebook infographic names fittest American cities
An infographic designed to identify the fittest U.S. city based on fitness-application use, gym check-ins and health-related status updates of Facebook users ranked Virginia Beach, Va., as the healthiest city in the nation. Also included in the top-five fittest cities were Colorado Springs, Colo., Austin and San Antonio, Texas, and Livingston, N.J. Business Insider (7/9)

Institutional Foodservice

White House honors winners of healthy school lunch challenge
The winners of a nationwide recipe challenge to promote healthy school lunches were honored during the second annual "Kids' State Dinner" at the White House on Tuesday. The 54 students who attended were selected based on recipes they created and submitted, including healthy spring rolls and curried chicken salad. NBC News (7/9), The Christian Science Monitor (7/9)