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POLITICS OF NUTRITION

Lecture January 2015 Today: Provincial/Local Politics of Nutrition

Nutrition for Health-The Nova Scotia Agenda for Action Nova Scotians are meeting daily nutrient intake requirements BUT: -higher risk of cancer and atherosclerosis-is this Cape Breton’s fault? -great percentage are overweight (44 %) -~ 80 % of population derived more than 30 % of dietary energy from fat

-24 % of young women (18-24) of low or normal body weight are trying to lose weight -62 % of mother’s breastfeed compared to 75 % national average

In 1995 Nova Scotians participating in this agenda for action decided to: reinforce healthy eating patterns support nutritionally vulnerable populations  continue to enhance the availability of foods that support healthy eating support nutrition research

There are 8 actions directed toward these 4 strategic directions 1) reinforce healthy eating patterns -work to make nutrition services a part of everyday community-based health services -work to make quality nutrition education and quality daily physical activity part of school programmes

1) reinforce healthy eating patterns -work with the media to ensure that the public receives responsible information on healthy eating and physical activity -work to protect and promote breast feeding influencing public and hospital policy and support breast feeding in Nova Scotia’s communities

 support nutritionally vulnerable populations -work with social policy decision makers to address the nutritional needs of vulnerable people -work to provide families with the support they need to feed their children healthy foods

 continue to enhance the availability of foods that support healthy eating work with restaurants, cafeterias, and other places where people eat to make more healthy food choices available

 support nutrition research work to develop a data base of the factors or indicators which affect nutritional status and food practices, including social, economic, cultural and educational data

Goal: To improve the health of Nova Scotians through coordinated ongoing action: Based on the principles of: Partnerships Networking Sustained action Sharing and Learning

What is being done locally ? Dietitians Objective: All staff able to integrate healthy eating messages into the work with the public and into their own lifestyles by: Providing staff with nutrition-healthy eating updates Continuing to encourage all public health staff to integrate healthy eating messages throughout all programme areas

Provincial vs Local politics Lobster-Burnt Church-Conflict Mi’kmaq want to govern themselves regarding lobster stocks Ottawa and New Brunswick disagree

RCMP have engaged in armed conflict Provincial fishery officers have gathered evidence What is the solution to this?

English-Wabigoon river in Ontario and mercury The Whitedog reserve is located in Northwestern Ontario in the Dryden and Kenora area. In 1970 residents of the Whitedog First Nation and the nearby Grassy Narrows First Nation, were told that the English-Wabigoon river system on which they lived was seriously contaminated with mercury. The source of this contamination was the Reed Paper Company, situated in Dryden, some 90 kilometers away.

Several members of the band suffered permanent disabilities due to mercury poisoning. The situation also led to the closure of the Ball Lake Lodge with the loss of about 100 jobs for the community and the closure of the commercial fishery with the loss of over 30 jobs.

Mercury is a toxic substance affecting the central nervous system and symptoms include numbness of the extremities, difficulty in hand movements and in grasping things, lack of coordination, tremors and speech, sight and hearing disturbances.

At the Whitedog First Nation there are still severe restrictions on fishing for both native anglers and tourists and these restrictions are likely to continue for several decades. Unemployment on the reserve runs at about 80% and significant social problems have also resulted.