Food for Thought: A Pan-Canadian Initiative Addressing the Healthy Eating Goals of Persons with Disabilities

Overview

Upon conducting a literature review it was clear that people with disabilities are more likely to experience reduced well-being because of obesity, or being underweight, malnourished. They face higher rates of dehydration, heart disease and diabetes than their able bodied counterparts. It also became evident that nutritionists and other educators and stakeholders lack information specific to the disability community.

With funding provided by the Physical Activity and Healthy Eating Contribution Program – Centre for Health Promotion, Public Health Agency of Canada, our initiative (to be completed by March 31, 2009) aims to build on the successful tools and resources that were created in our previous physical activity initiative “Healthy Lifestyles for Independent Living”. We will do this by adding new accessible tools on healthy eating including program models.  We want to explore how food can also be used a vehicle to connect people, encourage physical activity and reduce isolation.

Objectives:

1. To conduct participatory action research/national needs assessment to gather information on Canadians with disabilities and the issue of healthy eating itself.
2. To establish cross-sectoral partnerships with a focus on healthy eating (i.e. nutrition educators, grocery providers, community agencies, food security organizations etc) and establishing an advisory committee to steer project and development of tools.
3. To develop accessible alternate formats, plain language, bilingual and user friendly healthy eating tools specific to the needs of people with disabilities based on the new food guide. (including a perpetual calendar)
4. To host a Train-the-trainer event for all ILRC representatives (e.g. community ambassadors) whereby participants learn: the results of the national needs assessment; new accessible tools; and explore the implementation of various program models that improve and encourage healthy eating for people with disabilities.
5. To pilot various consumer driven program models across Canada using healthy eating as a vehicle for reducing isolation of people with disabilities while promoting healthy eating habits.
6. To create a handbook on the research, tools and lessons learned on healthy eating as a person with a disability, including tips for meal preparation for people with various disability issues.
7. To evaluate the project and disseminate the results and the handbook throughout Canada.

To accomplish the goals of this project we will have an advisory committee comprised of individuals from both inside and outside of the network. These partners may include and is not limited to:

• ILRCs -Pilot Site staff
• Dieticians of Canada
• Active Living Alliance of Canadians with Disability
• Santropol Roulant
  

In keeping with the principles of IL, the Food for Thought Initiative will use Participatory Action Research (PAR) as the means of discovering what models work in various communities. This will be done by tracking a selected group of individuals with disabilities over the course of the initiative. Consumers will work with their local ILRCs while they test out various program models that encourage peer support and physical activities in 8 regions throughout Canada.  They will also provide ongoing feedback to the project team to ensure that the project remains grounded in consumer needs and the developing model evolves in response to these stated needs. Although only 8 ILRCs will participate in the actual program pilots, the remaining 20 ILRCs will also participate in the training and provide healthy eating educational workshops for people with disabilities across Canada.

Please note that during the project we will produce communiqués and an online area on the IL Canada / Virtual ILRC website that will provide timely and relevant information on the project.

For more information contact: