Nutrition

The Challenge
Maine offers some of the best food available in North America, but too many of us nationwide are eating too much processed food, or not getting access to healthy local foods. According to Dora Mills' "Obesity in Maine", researchers in a USDA study published in 2000 found:
 • Food supply data suggest that between 1984 and 1997 there was a 15% increase in the average daily calorie intake
   per person in the U.S.
 • Nearly 90% of this increase in average daily calorie intake was due to higher consumption of carbohydrates:

According to local research:
 • 71.4% of Mainers eat fewer than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. (Source: BRFSS Prevalence Data 2007)

Because Maine has a sizeable population of residents with low incomes, CDC Director Dora Mills reports in ???Obesity in Maine??? that:
 • Fast food appeared to be a frequent staple for the majority of the lower-income respondents, due in large part to the perception
   that it is easier to feed a family with limited resources.
 • Obesity rates have risen 100% in only 17 years (from 12% of Mainers in 1990 to 26% in 2006).
 • Currently, one in five Mainers is obese.

What Healthy Casco Bay is Doing

 • Sponsoring educational presentations on good nutrition.
 • Promoting "no sugary food" policies at local schools.
 • Offering the Power Vending tool to encourage worksite and school vending machines to offer healthy choices.
 • Supporting the Maine Harvest Lunch Program in seven of the ten Healthy Casco Bay region communities, to teach kids about nutritious local food options.
 • Training childcare programs about good nutrition for kids.
 • Developing nutrition resources for local food banks and pantries.

Nutrition Resources
 • American Dietetic Association , organization of food and nutrition professionals providing information about good nutrition
 • www.letsgo.org, home of the 5210 Goes to School Program, a site with great information and strategies for promoting activity
  and nutrition to school age kids.
 • Fruits and Veggies More Matters , meal planning and other resources and tips for eating fruits & veggies (formerly the 5 a Day program) 

  • Maine Dairy and Nutrition Council , nutrition education organization funded by Maine diary farmers and processors
 • Maine Nutrition Council , focus on education, research and advocacy
 • Maine Nutrition Network , coalition to administer and evaluate physical activity and nutrition programs and policies
 • Multicultural Nutrition and Diabetic Handouts , information on nutrition and diabetes in 36 languages from The Nutrition Education
   for New Americans Project
 • Nutrition.gov , US government homepage; consumer information on food and nutrition
 • The New Pyramid , United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) site allows users to personalize their own food pyramid
   and track their daily foods and activity
 • Nutrition for Older People in Maine , nutrition information for elders from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services
 • USDA Nutrient Database , search engine for nutrient information of foods
 • University of Maine Cooperative Extension , programs in agriculture, food & health and gardening as well as publications on similar topics
 • The Vegetarian Resource Group , recipes and information about nutrition for vegetarians