HAWC launches public health display tables

  • Published
  • By Heath and Wellness Center
  • 319th Aeromedical Dental Squadron
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Since March, the commissary, Airey Dining Facility and the Health and Wellness Center have collaborated on a variety of public health campaigns from nutrition from "Get Your Fiber," "Food Portion Distortion," to the most recent topic "Don't Get Burned," which focuses on skin cancer. Health campaigns are not randomly selected and delivered without much thought into time of year and topic. The HAWC follows the Air Force Health Promotion Calendar which dictates topics for each month based on time of year.

Airmen will continue to see health display tables according to Dr. Dave Hey, a health educator at the HAWC.

"The more people are subtly reminded and informed on what constitutes 'healthy behavior' the more health literate they become, and odds are good that healthy behavior follows," said Dr. Hey. "We need to give Airmen the tools necessary for positive health choices to occur."

It is known that 70 to 80 percent of our health status is directly linked to things we can control or lifestyle behaviors (i.e., tobacco use, exercise behavior, seat belt use etc.).

"We do know that our programs need to get very specific and craft our messages wisely for maximum impact or reach," said Dr. Hey. "Otherwise we receive very little return on our investment, so to speak."

The first public health campaign held in March was "Get Your Fiber!" The HAWC staff set up a display at the base commissary with a variety of heart healthy selections. The display was designed to market or encourage base shoppers to read food labels (i.e., look for foods high in fiber). Thanks to the release of the American Heart Association's "Shop Smart - Eat Smart" campaign, identified by a red heart with a big white checkmark through the heart label, it's easier to spot healthier selections.

Mr. Dustin Frize, HAWC registered dietician, states that the foods displayed on the "Get Your Fiber!" table were clearly marked with the AHA red heart label.

"You can count on those foods as being very good sources of fiber, because all have passed the test so to speak and deemed verifiably good sources by the AHA," Mr. Frize said.

Mr. Frize lists the following as the best sources of fiber:
· whole grains (bran has the highest fiber content); including breads and cereals,
· whole-grain pastas,
· brown rice,
· nuts and seeds,
· legumes (such as dried peas, beans, lentils) and
· fruits and vegetables.

But Mr. Frize is quick to note that not all pastas and breads are created equal. He states, "when foods are processed, fiber is often removed."

Foods that do not pass the fiber test, according to Mr. Frize are:
· all foods made from white flour (bleached or unbleached),
· white breads,
· pizza crusts, and
· regular pasta.

In general, foods that are processed less are higher in fiber. Some high-fiber foods, such as some breakfast cereals and convenience foods, are high in sugar and salt, so be certain to read the label before you purchase, warns Mr. Frize.

The HAWC, commissary and Airey Dining Facility will continue to collaborate on public health campaigns.

"They [commissary and Airey Dining Facility staffs] are really great to work with because they support health literacy and understand marketing healthy behaviors to their patrons," according to Dr. Hey. "They are always helpful and willing to help us get the word out that 'shopping smart and eating well' is so critical to your overall health and well-being, it just takes a little planning."

That initial campaign designed to encourage Airmen and their families to purchase foods containing better sources of fiber had an unintended effect on several HAWC patrons. It's fair to say that our 'fiber' campaign really sparked interest around the base and gave Airmen a platform to start discussing very important health issues - beginning with simple issues like: "let's get healthier snack selections at work; to how do we do that?" Dr. Hey states.

People were showing up at the HAWC asking "what can I do to promote healthier eating on base?" Most Airmen would agree that it [eating healthy] relates directly to our wing preparedness and the overall mission.

Armed with positive feedback from both commissary and Airey Dining Facility patrons, it is likely the base will continue to see more of the HAWC's public health campaigns. The hope of the HAWC is to expand each public health campaign to each squadron break rooms.

"Ultimately, it is our hope to recruit one active duty per squadron to champion our public health campaigns, that way we have active duty buy-in and interest in what we believe is critical to everyone's health and well-being," according to Mr. Frize. 

What's impressive is that a display table with the simple message to 'eat more fiber' has generated so much excitement and buzz on base. One unit champion has gone above and beyond in this endeavor, according to Dr. Hey.

"Maintenance squadron production superintendent, 1st. Lt. Andrea Ismirle, has really been an asset to our environmental obesity roadmap coalition."

Lieutenant Ismirle took it upon herself to research what people are eating in their respective squadrons and what foods are available at the lunch counters and vending machines.

"Without much surprise many of the foods she has identified are non-nutritious, high fat/calorie foods," said Dr. Hey.

Once she has completed her assessment, she will brief the Integrated Delivery System team with her findings and supply recommendations to the board.

"What is incredible is that Lieutenant Ismirle has been supplying squadron break rooms with bananas to encourage healthier eating," Dr. Hey comments. 

"How cool is that?!" Mr. Frize responds. "We are looking at ways to institutionalize Lieutenant Ismirle's idea [eat a banana instead of a pop tart for instance] and cultivate her idea into a base-wide initiative." 

The HAWC is looking at purchasing baskets for fruit to have in squadron break areas. The concept being, if apples or oranges are available, people may choose to eat healthier.

"That essentially is our [HAWC] mission," said Dr. Hey. "We are here to support the Airmen in any way we can, and this is just one more way we can help."

In the meantime, the next time you are shopping in the commissary look for the AHA red heart label. This is the heart you can trust while grocery shopping. It's the only heart on food packaging that meets AHA science standards.

Visit www.Heartcheckmark.org to find a complete list of more than 800 products certified to be heart-healthy and build your free, personalized grocery list you can print and take with you -- for faster, healthier shopping.