CITY OF NEW
ORLEANS ANNOUNCES ACCOLADES FOR UPDATED HEALTHY VENDING, FOOD SERVICE
POLICY
Awarded
Silver Medal from Let’s Move! Cities Initiative
NEW ORLEANS – Today, the City of New Orleans announced a more progressive
approach to improving the workplace environment through vending and food
services guidelines designed to drive healthier eating habits. These guidelines
will provide stronger nutritional standards for
vending machines on City properties, thus giving City employees and residents
access to healthier food options. This policy change has earned the City of New
Orleans the silver medal for Model Food Service from Let’s Move! Cities, Towns
and Counties initiatives of the National League of Cities.
Click here to
review the complete policy.
“If we are going to reach our goal of becoming a healthier city
by the city’s 300th anniversary in 2018, we must create policies
that will aid in effectively promoting healthy choices,” said Mayor Mitch
Landrieu. “We are working toward creating a city where the healthy choice is
the easy choice. This is another step in the right direction.”
“As we completed the Fit NOLA Business Assessment for the City of
New Orleans, it became clear that we needed to be providing healthier food
options at City buildings. Through this updated policy, we can now set an
example for other local businesses and demonstrate the City’s commitment to
creating a culture of health among our employees,” said Charlotte Parent,
Director of the New Orleans Health Department.
“While
obesity and chronic diseases continue to rise, the City of New Orleans is
setting an excellent example for other cities to follow by implementing a city
wide healthy food policy,” said Stacy Harper, Lieutenant Commander, U.S.
Public Health Service, which is the lead federal agency working
on Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties. “This will enable
the City of New Orleans to have a positive impact on the eating habits of
residents and visitors.”
In
December of 2012, Mayor Mitch Landrieu signed an executive order which outlines
the development and implementation of a standard for healthier foods and
beverages in the vending and food services options at City Hall and other
City-owned parks and facilities. This policy update outlines stricter standards
that must meet the U.S. Health and Human Services and U.S. General Services
Administration Health and Sustainability guidelines.
“We recognize the important role employers play in sustaining a
healthy workforce,” said Andy Kopplin, Deputy Mayor and Chief Administrative
Officer for the City. “The updated policy is
one way we are giving our employees the tools they need to lead a healthy life
and make a positive health impact on our city.”
The New Orleans Health Department, in partnership with The
American Heart Association, will be leading the effort to educate vendors and
City employees about the new policy. This will include workshops with City
employees and vendors about the new guidelines and taste tests in City Hall to
allow employees to vote on what items they want to see available in vending
machines.
“It
is exciting to see New Orleans adopt heathy food services guidelines that are
designed to help employees make healthier decisions,” says Dr. Louis Glade,
American Heart Association President of the Board. “Congratulations to the
City of New Orleans for making the health of their employees a top priority. I
hope this now challenges the state government to follow New Orleans’s lead and
enact a healthy and food services policy.”
This policy is designed to directly combat obesity numbers in the
City of New Orleans. Thirty-two percent of adults in the City of New Orleans
are obese, and adults with obesity spend forty-two percent more on healthcare
costs than healthy-weight adults. In addition to that, thirteen percent of New
Orleans children are obese and that number is increasing according to the
American Heart Association.
The
policy will also support the growing consumer demand for healthier options.
Unhealthy foods and beverages are leading causes of diabetes and heart disease,
and it is important for the City to offer healthy options to city employees and
to those who visit public buildings and attend public events – including
children.
Questions
about the policy may be directed to the New Orleans Health Department
at healthdepartment@nola.gov or call (504) 658-4787.
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About
New Orleans Health Department
The mission of the
nationally accredited New Orleans Health Department (NOHD) is to protect,
promote and ensure the health of all who live in New Orleans. NOHD aims
to build a healthy New Orleans through equitable, social and environmental
conditions and through policies, programs and partnerships that promote
health. Learn more at www.nola.gov/health
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