Southern Food
Policy Advocates
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A Florida policy and advocacy
organization committed to improving the health and well being of Floridians by
addressing systems issues concerning food, nutrition and fitness.
Obesity may be the most significant
public policy issue of our times that is not being adequately addressed or
creating the alarm warranted. Obesity qualifies in this regarding because of
the followin
- Obesity is a public policy issue because its health costs are born by society at large and because weight bias affects the ability of obese people to participate equally in the political, social and economic life of their society
- The emergence of obesity may be attributed to sociological, genetic, economic and political causes.
- Obesity finds its place on the political agenda along two pathways. The growth in the prevalence and costs related to obesity has finally reached unacceptable level compelling legislators to address the underlying problems. Secondly, obesity is closely linked to tobacco addiction, an issue that already occupies a secure place on the policy agenda
- There is clear evidence that racial and ethnic disparities regarding access to nutritious food and health care are resulting obesity and obesity-related illnesses.
Why policy?
The implementation of good public nutrition, food, and fitness policies, which
are supported by local and state legislation, is an efficient way to help the
greatest number of people makes positive changes in their lives. Rather than
focusing on changing people’s behavior one person at a time, effective public
policy makes structural changes to the environment altering population-level
behavior.
Why policy?
In the absence of good public policy obesity related medical costs are
significantly impacting the healthcare cost of local, state and federal
governments. Correspondingly the cost for obese workers missing more days of
work and those employees costing employers more in medical and disability
claims as well as workers compensation claims.
The Focus of Southern Food Policy
Advocates
Utilize public policy to address access
to nutritious food, obesity and obesity related health issue (i.e., healthy
eating and active living policy) by means of:
- Legislative and administrative advocacy at the federal, state, and locals levels to strengthen public nutrition and fitness programs.
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Proactively engineer policy by conducting research,
identifying quantified issues for action, amassing support, creating
legislative support, drafting language for bill, securing legislative sponsors,
working sponsored bills through the legislative process, and education/advocacy
among all stakeholders.
- Policy-oriented research that assesses economic impacts
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Build an evidence base for obesity, nutrition, and
fitness policy by quantifying the economic impacts at various levels (i.e., to
government budgets, businesses’ profit,
increase in discretionary spending dollars for citizens from lower
medical cost and better food choices)
- Promotion and outreach to further public education about key nutrition issues, nutrition programs, fitness issues, and fitness programs.
- Technical assistance and training that empowers advocates and community members to engage in nutrition, food, and fitness policy.
- Local, state, and regional partnerships with advocates and community-based organizations to collectively identify and address critical nutrition, food, and fitness issues facing Floridians