Fruit and veg off the menu for Newfoundland's poor

Public health, dieticians and social workers team up to tackle poor nutrition and expanding waistlines on the Rock

By Deana Stokes Sullivan

Denise Bradley of St John's considers herself pretty lucky when she can spend $50 on a grocery order to feed her family of four for a week. But with two growing daughters, ages 11 and 14, Ms Bradley knows that $50 a week won't even provide basic nutrition for her family. "There have been times when I've had to choose to spend money on groceries instead of rent, and because of that I've gotten eviction notices," says Ms Bradley, who's unable to work because of ill health. Her husband makes only about $12,000 a year.

Ms Bradley's more than a concerned mom, she's also cochairwoman of the Newfoundland and Labrador Food Security Network. As such she isn't surprised by conclusions reached in a discussion paper called The Cost of Eating in Newfoundland and Labrador, which was recently presented to the provincial government. The report, the result of a collaboration between dieticians, social workers and public health association representatives, reviews the ability of people on low incomes to afford sufficient nutritious food in light of current data on the cost of healthy eating. The paper found that 23.4% of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians don't have enough disposable income to buy basic necessities such as food, shelter, clothing and transportation and about 26% of the province's children live in poverty. See the box below for the paper's key recommendations.

Statistics Canada estimates the cost of nutritiously feeding a family of four in Newfoundland and Labrador at about $168 a week. A figure that's clearly beyond the reach of many in a province where the unemployment rate hovers around 17%. The national rate in 2003 was 7.6%.

Many experts feel that the situation is in danger of spiralling out of control. Dr Roy West, professor of Epidemiology in the Division of Community Health at Memorial University and past president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Public Health Association, says population health today is much more pressing than more attention-grabbing issues like SARS or avian flu. "We tend to forget the underlying issues which impact every day on the health status of people," says Dr West. "The long-term health of the population is dependent on a broader range of health determinants rather than just outbreaks of infectious disease. These determinants include income, social supports and social status."

The high cost of nutritious food in the island province doesn't help matters. "Milk, fruit and vegetables are so expensive, they're considered a treat when they should be food staples," says Ms Bradley. A price check at Sobey's, a local supermarket, shows that $10 doesn't go far in the fruit section. On the other hand, the specials in the weekly flyer offer deals similar to those in the rest of the country. Pork shoulder is featured at $2.20/kg; 2.2kg bags of carrots and onions are two for $3; cans of mixed vegetables at two for $1. Even if you shop the specials, $50 won't stretch enough to feed a family of four. You need help and until recently both of Ms Bradley's kids had access to a school lunch program which provided nutritious meals at low cost. Last fall her oldest daughter started junior high, which doesn't have a lunch program.

As a struggling parent, she thinks school lunch programs should be available across the province to kids of all ages. "Children don't stop growing when they leave elementary school, as I've quickly learned," she says, noting that studies have shown that students receiving good nutrition perform better academically.

Dr West says that while the province should be applauded for its work on a strategic social plan, wellness strategy and nutrition strategy, implementation of all those strategies is essential for improving the health status of Newfoundlanders. It's time to act.

Lisa Crockwell, of the province's Association of Social Workers and a member of the team that put the report together, agrees. She says that she and her colleagues see firsthand the impacts of food insecurity and how health, stress levels and people's ability to participate in society are affected.

Another member of the team, Glendora Boland, of the Dietitians Association, would also like to see some of that action. She points out that health professionals came together about 15 years ago for the same reason — to draw attention to these issues. Nothing was done and the problems are as serious as ever.

It's a universal problem. Britain's Health Secretary, John Reid, announced this month that thousands of parents in the UK will receive vouchers for free fruit and vegetables as part of a new drive to encourage lifelong healthy eating habits and tackle obesity. The changes come under reforms to the Welfare Food Scheme to support some of the poorest pregnant women and families. It's estimated that up to 800,000 people could benefit.