The Rainier Health Group:
Fostering Partnerships to Improve Health

King County Steps to Health and the University of Washington Health Promotion Research Center recently convened the Rainier Health Group to identify opportunities to integrate services and address health issues in the Rainier Valley. By bringing together a diverse group of partners, the coalition fosters new opportunities to share services and ideas. The group has chosen three projects to improve nutrition and health:

• Promoting healthy restaurant menu choices
• Training peer educators in leading grocery store tours
• Healthy Rainier Valley tours that promote healthful living

Target Audience: Agencies and citizens working to promote health among SE Seattle residents.

Evaluation: Steps and the HPRC are collecting information on the connections that are being made through the coalition and tracking progress on the chosen projects.

Partners: UW Health Promotion Research Center, Puget Sound Neighborhood Health Centers, Sound steps, Washington Health Foundation, AARTH ministries, Puget Sound Consumer Co-op, Columbia Health Center, Seattle Parks and Rec, International District Health Clinic, Austin Foundation, Seattle Housing Authority, YMCA, Farmer's Market Association, King County Steps, International Community Health Services

Lead Agency: King County Steps and UW HPRC are convening, facilitating, and providing support for this coalition.

For More Information:
Diana Vinh or Ruth Egger
King County Steps to Health
UW Health Promotion Research Center

Assessing Availability of Competitive Foods
in Pierce County Secondary Schools

In spring 2006, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department staff assessed the nutrition environment of all public middle, junior high, and high schools in Pierce County (N=69) to evaluate compliance with federal regulations related to the availability of competitive foods. The assessment consisted of a brief interview with school food service staff and direct observations of the competitive foods available inside or immediately outside the food service area during the meal periods.

Of the 41 schools with vending machines located in the food service area, 12 had at least one machine that contained foods of minimal nutritional value that was operational during the lunch period. Eight schools operated student stores or other non-vending sources for sales of foods of minimal nutritional value during lunch periods. Soda and candy were the foods of minimal nutritional value that were most often available. Based on this assessment, approximately 17,000 students, 35% of all middle, junior high and high school students in the county, currently have access to foods of minimal nutritional value in their cafeterias during the lunch period, in violation of federal regulations.

Target Audience: Public middle, junior high, and high schools in Pierce County

Evaluation: TPCHD will repeat the assessment annually to measure whether compliance with federal regulations improves over time.

Lead Agency Role: Staff from TPCHD’s Prevention Priorities Program and Food and Community Safety Program developed and conducted the assessment. The Office of Community Assessment assisted with data analysis and the final report.

For More Information:
Beth Glynn
Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department
253-798-2886