Healthy Chelsea CoalitionRegular Bimonthly Meeting

5/12/2011

Chelsea Food Stores SurveyPreliminary resultsThis project has been made possible by the efforts of many people. THANK YOU Kelly Younger (Project Coordinator), Kathleen Bray, Cat Dodson, Rosie Bongiovanni, John DePriest, Luis Prado, Victor Santana, Sarah Oo,Danelle Marable, MGH Interpreters/Community Health Workers, Chris Pazos, Emily Rose, Alex Vega, Anthony Vega, John Hunter, Camilo Camacho, Kevin Luu, Faisal Yerow, Miriam Acevedo, Samantha Claudio, Doris Zelaya, Rogger Andrade, Dennis Sanabria, Walter Hernanzez, Jennifer Rosa, Stephanny Viana, Heather Fairal, Chance Hatfield, Mario Vargas, Enrique Arriagon, Blake McGill, Jessica Burgos, Sandro Santiago, Jacquelyn Hernandez, & Roca Youth Star

Our Purpose

To determine accessibility to healthy foods in Chelsea, with hopes to influence future change in our food environment

Accessibility is Shaped By:•Distance from one’s home to a food store or healthy food item•Availability of healthy food options•Affordability

The Food Stores Survey

•Was developed from tools available through the BEAT Institute, with modifications that made the tool more appropriate for Cheslea

•We looked for the presence of key healthy foods – vegetables, fruit, eggs, low-fat milk, whole grain products, beef, poultry, and pork – including fresh, frozen, & canned items

•We gathered prices on some key items

•We rated quality for the fresh produce

Where can we buy food in Chelsea?105

33

2

Convenience Store 20.0%Medium Store 10.0%Small Store 66.0%Supermarket 4.0%

Total: 100.0%

49 total food stores

2/3 of stores are small stores

1/5 are convenience stores

Accessibility based on distance

• More stores closer to Tobin Bridge/SW end of Broadway

• Fewer stores closer to Revere

• Even if there are food stores available in a neighborhood, some areas lack the ability to purchase healthy items from each of the basic food groups

Produce Availability

# varieties available

Any None(0)

Few(1 to

4)

Some(5 to

9)

Many(10-16)

Most(25+)

Fruit 35 14 13 15 6 1Veg. 32 17 6 16 8 2

• 55% of stores have 0-4 fruit varieties

• 47% of stores have 0-4 vegetable varieties

Key Findings for Fruit/Vegetables

• 1/4 of stores (13 stores) carry no produce at all• Citywide average of 5 fruits and 7 veggies per

store, which most commonly include: • Fruit: plantains, bananas, oranges, apples• Vegetables: potatoes, onions, iceberg lettuce,

tomatoes, bell peppers• More stores have fruit than vegetables, but once

you are in a store with produce, there are more vegetable varieties than fruit varieties available

• Frozen fruit is inaccessible: only 26% of stores carry frozen fruit, whereas 62% of stores carry frozen vegetables

Protein Accessibility

37

127 6

3 4

05

10152025303540

none

any p

oultr

y

any b

eef

health

y poultr

y

health

y bee

f

health

y pork

Types of raw meat

# of

sto

res

Key Findings for Meat-based Protein

• Raw meat = inaccessible: • 13 stores (27%) carry any raw meat at all; • 7 stores (14%) carry more than one type of

raw meat• only 1/4 of small stores in Chelsea (9 out of 33)

carry any raw meat• Healthy cuts of meat = even more

inaccessible: • only 3 stores offer healthy beef• only 6 stores offer healthy cuts of poultry

Milk Accessibility

• Twice as many stores carry low-fat milk (45 stores) than carry non-fat milk (22 stores)

• 1/3 of stores had no visible prices for milk• Depending on the store, a customer may be

paying twice as much for milk than if they shopped at a store down the street: True for both low-fat and non-fat gallon and

half-gallon sizes e.g. -- minimum price for gallon of low-fat milk

= $2.19 vs. maximum price for gallon of low-fat milk = $4.69

Whole Grain / Other Healthy Food Accessibility

Accessible Food Items

% stores with

Canned fish 90%1 healthy cereal 88%

Dried beans 90%100% Fruit Juice 92%Eggs 90%Plain water 96%Canned veggies 92%Corn or white flour tortillas

80%

Inaccessible Food Items

% stores without

2 or more healthy cereals

66%

Whole wheat bread

52%

Brown rice 46%Whole grain tortillas

22%

Whole grain pasta

12%

Affordability

• Dozen egg price range: $1.39 - $3.39

• Gallon Low-Fat Milk price range: $2.19 - $4.69

• Loaf whole wheat bread price range: $1.79 - $3.59

Next Steps for Analysis

• If stores accept WIC/SNAP, are they more likely to carry healthy food items?

• Proximity to schools• What else should we explore

further?

Focus Areas for Change

Focus work on “small” stores in key neighborhoods (not convenience stores)

Maximize benefit of NE Produce Center

Least-accessible neighborhood = closer to Revere/further from Broadway and bridge

Move healthy snacks and fruits closer to the point-of-purchase

Clearly label prices

Increase amount of whole grains carried

Where there are ________, also offer ________frozen veggies frozen fruitraw meat healthy cuts of meatone healthy cereal 2+ healthy cereals1-4 fruit varieties 5+ fruit varietieslow-fat milk non-fat milk

Diagnosing the Health of Your CoalitionSelected Statements and Average Ratings

Scale : 5 (Always) to 1 (Never); 0 (Don’t Know)

•All of your members have copies of the coalition’s bylaws: 1.0

•Your coalition communicates regularly with its members to keep them updated regularly and informed about activities: 4.0

•Your coalition meetings include an agenda, a facilitator, minutes of meetings, and action steps: 4.68

•Leadership responsibilities are shared; for example, you rotate the chairing of a meeting between members: 2.63

•If issues (e.g. child care, transportation, meeting time) are interfering with member involvement, your coalition responds to those issues: 1.29

“I think Healthy Chelsea is incredibly well run with goals clearly defined. We couldn't ask for better leadership. Chelsea is well served to have this program in

our community and it is making quite a difference.”

Proposed Ad Hoc Committee Would meet at least once between May -

July Responsibilities include:

Review survey & identify work plan for Coalition functioning for upcoming year

Draft potential Coalition Structure (i.e. decision making group; work groups)

Review and re-draft Coalition Mission Statement

Consider drafting Coalition Bylaws