Nutrition Assessment Education Project
Whatcom
County
A Classic Community Nutrition Assessment Experience
Plans for Future Nutrition Assessment in Whatcom County
- Focus groups: Focus groups will be convened to determine the nutritional issues of low income populations. Participants are being recruited from Head Start families, WIC clients, and food bank participants. The groups will be asked to respond to the same questions that were asked in the groups of healthy working people aged 25-45. See Planning and Conducting Focus Groups.
- Data collection on major nutrition issues that have been identified for the state of Washington. Each community, as well as the state, is encouraged to collect data on these indicators. This will enable both comparisons between communities and comparisons over time for each community. In Whatcom County the following data will be compiled from the sources listed.
| Indicator | Data Source |
| Breastfeeding prevalence | WIC |
| Weight gain in pregnancy | Birth certificates |
| Fruit and Vegetable intake | BRFSS |
| Hunger | BRFSS |
| Overweight | BRFSS |
The community nutrition assessment in Whatcom County is part of the larger community health assessment. Results of the nutrition assessment will be included in the document that is being prepared to describe the health of the people of Whatcom County. Results will be presented to the community and to those who are making plans for improving the health of the community.
Plans for future local BRFSS data collection are uncertain at this point.
Decisions will depend on funding and determination of local assessment
priorities.
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