Here’s a new tool to help guide what goes on your plate.

Today, the Obama administration is tossing out the old food pyramid, that symbol for healthy eating for the last two decades. In its place, officials are dishing up a simple new icon meant to give consumers like you and me a fast, easily grasped reminder of the basics of a healthy diet. Watch the announcement live!

Photo by leoncillo sabino

The new symbol is meant to help educate consumers about the government’s latest dietary guidelines, which were released in January. These guidelines come at a time when two-thirds of adults and one in three children are overweight or obese.

It’s also a time when nearly 15 percent of American households are unable to acquire adequate food to meet their needs. And with today’s economy, that rate keeps climbing.

It might seem like a paradox, but not having enough money for food actually promotes obesity — by limiting choices and discouraging healthy decisions.

For many low-income families, putting food on the table comes down to tough choices. Do I pay extra for pricey yet healthy foods, but skip other essentials for my family? Or do I buy the cheapest, most filling junk food I can find so that I can pay my rent on time? I can’t do both.

Obesity IS an economic issue.  Eating well is beyond the reach of many Hoosiers. Thankfully, many folks are working to change that picture in Indy.

Two-thirds of adults and one in three children are overweight or obese.

Take Garden on the Go – bringing a truck full of affordable, fresh produce into inner city neighborhoods every day.

Or HealthNet – providing free, one-on-one nutrition counseling in seven low-income neighborhoods around the city. Last year, we helped over 1,000 people take control of their diet and begin making healthy choices on a budget.

These are just two of many initiatives that are under way to make Indy a healthier place to live. Sign up our e-newsletter for regular updates!

Learn more about how YOU can stay healthy on a budget, and how you can help others in Indy do the same!

Image from UWPHI Website. Click to learn more!

The County Health Rankings report was just released by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This report ranks each county in each state in overall health calculated by factors such as individual health behaviors, education

and jobs, quality of health care, and environment.  This report is a great call to action to take a step back and try to understand HOW we can get healthier and what factors may contribute to the lack of health in Marion County.

Marion County – 77th out of 92 Indiana counties.

Only ahead of 15 counties in the entire state for overall health, Marion County is ranked 15th in the state for clinical care, a category that factors in the percentage of uninsured adults, ratio of population to primary care providers, number of preventable hospital stays, and percentage of diabetic and mammography screenings for Medicare enrollees.  How does a county ranked so high in clinical care, rank so low in overall health?

Access to AFFORDABLE health care.

Marion County is 89th out of 92 in the Social & Economic Factors category:

• 60% high school graduation rate; state average = 70%
• 24% of children live in poverty; state average = 18%
• 44% of households are single-parent; state average = 31%

All of these factors can point to financial stress.  Out of all of Marion County’s adult population, 16% are uninsured, leaving a barrier to health care access.  Federally Qualified Health Centers, such as HealthNet, aim to provide affordable, quality primary care to those who are uninsured or underinsured.  According to UWPHI, “While having health insurance is a crucial step toward accessing the different aspects of the health care system, health insurance by itself does not ensure access. It is also necessary to have comprehensive coverage, providers that accept the individual’s health insurance, relatively close proximity of providers to patients, and primary care providers in the community.[1]”

Marion County is NOT very healthy in terms of overall care, but a major factor may be the affordability and access to health care.  What are your thoughts on why Marion County (and the state’s capital) rank so low?

To learn more about HealthNet and what it does to increase access to care, click here.  Indiana also has two initiatives aimed at bettering the health of our populations. Learn more about INShape Indiana and the Indiana Healthy Weight Initiative.

According to their recent press release, out of the 11 schools in the Big Ten, three were assigned home bars in Indianapolis that allow smoking. If Iowa, Michigan and Michigan State fans visiting Indianapolis want to celebrate at their home bars, they will also be exposed to secondhand smoke.

Are you an alum or fan of one of these schools? How do you feel about your options?

As one of the top 15 cities in the United States, only Indianapolis and Philadelphia are not smoke-free. As a city striving to become one of America’s best places to live, shouldn’t Indianapolis consider following the trend and become smoke-free? Not only for the people living here, but for the thousands that visit each year?

At the very least, shouldn’t we at least recognize that Michigan is a smoke-free state and allow BOTH of their universities to have a home bar that is also smoke-free?

With a brand new and expanded convention center and as the home of Super Bowl 2012, are we missing out on opportunities because we are NOT a smoke-free city? For instance, the American Public Health Association will not host a conference in a city that allows indoor workplace smoking and their annual conference draws 13,000 attendees.

Tell us what you think!!  Comment below.

HealthNet’s Health Promotions team offers free tobacco cessation counseling to all.  If you or someone you know is looking to quit, refer them here.  The earlier, the better!