WEUHA's NUTRITION AFFILIATE

WEUHA's Nutrition Affiliate promotes healthy lifestyles, physical activity and develops intersectoral strategies for disease prevention.  Current initiatives include attention towards childhood obesity, diabetes prevention, and senior activity levels.

Composition

Representation from Access Alliance Multi-Cultural CHC, Davenport-Perth CHC, LAMP, Parkdale CHC, Stonegate CHC, Four Villages CHC, St. Joseph's Health Centre and Toronto Public Health.

Guiding Mandate

The WEUHA Nutrition Affiliate strives to create a nutritionally healthy community through an integrated and coordinated approach.  This means that community members have access to affordable, healthy, nutritious, culturally and personally acceptable foods and access to resources and supports to make informed choices about healthy eating. 

Current Initiatives

• Foci: 1)  Healthy Weights and Childhood Obesity
          2)  Food Security

• Application to the Toronto Heart Health Partnership to collaboratively offer the Take 5: 5-10 Fruits and Vegetables Primary Prevention Program
  
  
• Application to the Ministry of Health for the Healthy Lifestyles project
  
  
• Inventory of nutrition and food security programs and services in West Toronto
  
  

Past Successes

• Standardization of a 10 week community-based Diabetes Education and Support Program, and submission to the CDA on evaluating program effectiveness
  
  
• Production of two reports:  "WEUHA Food Security Needs Assessment"  in (1999) and "WEUHA Comprehensive Community Nutrition Strategy" in (1998)
  
  
• Obtained funding from the Health Canada Diabetes Strategy for a three year Best Practices in Diabetes Prevention Project
  
  
• Began the West Toronto Adult Diabetes Education Program in 2002