Presentation to Folkehelsealliansen Nordlund The Role of BC Healthy Living Alliance Mary Collins, Director BC Healthy Living Alliance May 4 2011
BC Healthy Living Alliance Mission is: To improve the health of all British Columbians through leadership and collaboration to address the risk factors and health inequities that contribute significantly to chronic disease Goal: Reduce the burden of chronic disease • Advocacy, Collaboration & Capacity ‐ building
BC Healthy Living Alliance • Alliance of nine organizations representing chronic disease groups, professional associations and municipal leaders • Health authorities and provincial health Ministry of healthy living represented as well
BC Healthy Living Alliance • The largest health promotion team in the history of BC • Health promotion through public awareness, policy & advocacy, service delivery & community development • 9 voting members • 40,000 volunteers, 4,300 health & recreation professionals & 184 local governments across BC
History • The organizations involved in BCHLA came together in 2003 to work to improve the health of British Columbians • Supported by the ADM of Population Health with the Ministry of Health • Initial investment of $50,000 from government • Members invested in advocacy – “Winning Legacy” ‐ evidence based report to support a large investment in health promotion
The Winning Legacy A Plan for Improving the Health of British Columbians by 2010 • Estimated annual costs of $3.8B could be avoided • Calculated initial $1.1B investment required • Recommended 27 strategic interventions based on risk factor targets • BC Government has acted on many recommendations (i.e.: tobacco regulations, school/ public building food guidelines, physical activity in schools, ActNow BC, etc.)
Healthy Living: Targets for 2010 CURRENT STATE BCHLA TARGETS ActNow BC TARGETS [Source: BCHLA] 8/10 do not smoke 9/10 will not smoke 8.5/10 will not smoke ‐ 225,000 British Columbians 4/10 eat at least 5 servings of 7/10 will eat over 5 servings of vegetables & 5/10 will eat at least 5 servings of vegetables & fruit a day fruit a day vegetables & fruits a day + 948,000 British Columbians 6/10 are physically active 7/10 will be physically active 7/10 will get enough activity for health benefits + 351,000 British Columbians 5/10 are a healthy weight 7/10 will be a healthy weight 7/10 will be at a healthy weight + 349,000 British Columbians
Healthy Living Initiatives Healthy Eating Strategy Physical Activity Strategy Tobacco Reduction Strategy Initiatives: Initiatives: Initiatives: 1) Walk BC 1) Smoke ‐ Free Workplaces 1) Healthy Food & Beverage 2) Everybody Active 2) Post Secondary Institution Sales – Local Government 3) Community ‐ based Initiative and Recreation Facilities Awareness 3) Quitters Unite! 2) Support for School 4) Built Environment & 4) Community Detailing Guidelines Active Transportation 5) Smoke ‐ Free Housing (in 3) Farm to School Salad Bar Multi Unit Dwellings) 4) Food Skills for Families Community Capacity Building Strategy 5) Sip Smart! BC 70 community ‐ based projects led in partnership with local organizations & champions
Healthy Eating: A Focus on Families Target population: Adults (35 ‐ 54) and their children Rationale: • Research: poor consumption of veggies & fruit in adults and children • Trend towards increasing obesity in children Food insecurity is related to poor access & consumption of veggies & fruit and • consumption of unhealthy choices • Family/home environment offers: • Potential to increase exposure/availability of nutritious foods, • reduce availability of unhealthy choices to children, • model healthy eating behaviours, and share cooking skills
Healthy Eating Initiatives 1. Healthy Food and Beverage Sales (where families work, play and learn) 2. Farm to School Salad Bar 3. Food Skills for Families 4. SipSmart BC!
Physical Activity Strategy Budget: $6.0 M Target: Inactive adults aged 35 to 54 years Rationale: • High rates of physically inactive (44.1%) • 43% of the BC population • Accessed in health promotion settings: community, workplace, and health services • Potential to reach and influence other populations including: – Children and youth – Older adults and parents Targeting this group will also have an impact on “healthy aging,” which has positive ramifications as this group moves into an older demographic
Tobacco Reduction Strategy Budget: $4.54 M Target Population: Young Adults (19 ‐ 29) Rationale: • Highest prevalence rate in BC • More likely than older adults to be social smokers • 45% of daily smokers began between the ages of 18 and 29 years • More likely to be exposed to second ‐ hand smoke 40 35 • Cigarette companies have 30 25 invested heavily to capture Percent 20 young adult smoker 15 10 5 0 12-13 14-15 16-17 18-19 20-21 22-23 24-25 26-27 28-29 30-31 32-33 34-35 36-37 38-39 40-41 42-43 44-45 46-47 48-49 50-51 52-53 54-55 56-57 58-59 60-61 62-63 64-65 66-67 68-69 70-103 2yr age categories Smoking Prevalence
Capacity Building Focus 4 Key Functions: 1. Strengthen Regional Networks 2. Align BCHLA Initiatives with existing groups 3. Build Capacity in At ‐ Risk/Priority Communities 4. Expand Opportunities for BCHLA Initiatives
Healthy Living Initiatives ‐ Reach • Impacted 229 BC communities, many rural, remote and Aboriginal • 36,700 British Columbians actively participated • Additional 1,237,800 were exposed to the messaging
BCHLA – Policy and Advocacy • BCHLA – commissioned a study on social and economic determinants • Undertook survey of attitudes including interviews and conversations with representatives from vulnerable groups • Held regional discussions with multisector groups to add to input
Healthy Futures for BC Families BCHLA Policy Discussion Forums – Four held around province in partnership with health authorities To build cross ‐ sectoral consensus on policies to address those social issues that can impede or enhance the health of a society
POLICY: Healthy Futures for BC Families • Social Determinants of Health – Income & food security, early childhood development & care, housing, education & literacy, health equity, supportive environments, transportation
POLICY: Healthy Futures for BC Families Early Childhood Development & Care • Extend parental leave ~18 months • Universal Childcare – more quality spaces • Pre ‐ & After ‐ school programs • Cont’d support for Aboriginal Head Start • Increase training & wages for ECE workers
POLICY: Healthy Futures for BC Families • Security in Income, Food & Home ”As family income falls, the – Poverty reduction plan likelihood that children will experience problems – Income Assistance increases. Rates of poor [healthy diet, real rental costs & indexed to health, hyperactivity and inflation] delayed vocabulary – Increase child tax benefit & development have been supplement [$5100] shown…in low ‐ income – Full spectrum of housing families.” for those in need
New policy work: Tackling Childhood Obesity • Ban Marketing to Children • Health Promoting Schools • Improve Access to Healthy Foods in Rural & Remote Communities • Targets and timelines for industry to drastically reduce sodium, fat and sugar content in packaged foods. • Taxation of sugar sweetened beverages • Healthy Built Environments – planning with healthy living lens, active transport & revitalized recreation facilities
Advocacy – Recent Activities • Presentations to Government Committees • Published new Papers: Healthy Living in BC – The Next Generation; Recommendations for Tackling Overweight and Obesity in BC • Development of paper with a “Healthy Families” lens to align with new Premier’s priorities • Continuing work on development of policies on alcohol
What We Know • Policy environments and physical environments support healthy lifestyles • Healthy living starts with communities • Health Equity – Focus on interventions that lessen disparities • Whole of government, whole of society approach
Partnerships & Coalitions • Why build partnerships and coalitions? • Requirements for effective partnerships and coalitions • Personal Leadership for coalition building • Some real life experiences! • BCHLA – examples and lessons learned
Why Build Partnerships & Coalitions? • Can’t do it all alone – especially where major shifts in public opinion or behaviour required • Decision makers more responsive to the power behind coalitions • Can be more effective in delivering programs, advocating policy, integrating knowledge • Greater flexibility and allows organizations to maintain identity but still be part of a larger group
Challenges • Difficult to get partners who have different priorities to work together on common goal • Need to set aside personal/organizational interests for good of coalition • Advocacy may be watered down to get support from all • Other priorities emerge and interest in the coalition may wane • Leadership changes may impact on coalition
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