THUNDER BAY – People who work at food banks or with other community food programs in the region are getting the chance to learn more about the connection between food and several important illnesses and health conditions.
The Regional Food Distribution Association and the Thunder Bay District Health Unit have teamed up to provide an online training program surrounding nutrition and chronic disease.
The goal is to provide those working in food access with the expertise and knowledge to help those coping with illnesses such as renal disease, cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, or those who suffer from food allergies and intolerances.
Kim McGibbon, a public health nutritionist at TBDHU, said the teaching tool can have a wide-ranging impact on the health of those living in smaller communities, where dietary expertise isn’t always readily available.
It will also help educate those providing the food get a better handle on what foods are best and what foods to avoid when dealing with people suffering through chronic disease.
“So, whether they’re serving hot meals or doing food banks in their communities, or other community food programs that targets different nutrition-related diseases,” McKibbon said.
There’s a big need, she added.
“One of the things we wanted to be able to do was share this information broadly within our region. We live here in Northwestern Ontario and much of our region is rural and remote. So, we know that food insecurity is higher in those rural and remote communities, so that means more people are involved in community food programs and food access, food security programs,” McGibbon said.
A little basic nutrition knowledge can go a long way, she added.
“We worked with local dietitians who have that specialty in different clinical areas,” McGibbon said.
The best part is people can access the information for free, enroling in online tutorials, at a time that works for them, rather than holding random workshops in random communities that may or may not reach everyone they need to reach.
“They’re able to find this information. If they’re using it as a training tool, they also can get a certificate at the end,” McGibbon said.
Tanner Harris, the food services manager at the RFDA, said it was an easy decision to take on the project, given the nature of what it is the organization does.
“What the RFDA does, outside of providing food to people in the communities, is provide education – nutrition, health and food insecurity education – and this really plays into that role of what the RFDA does into our region,” he said.
Harris said it was important to work with the health unit to ensure they’d be providing factual information, adding the benefit to those working in food access will be enormous.
The trickle-down effect, the most important aspect, is better health for residents dealing with chronic illnesses.
“It’ll help them make healthier choices when they’re accessing food banks or food at home, making better choices for themselves. Because they have a health background or a mental health and wellness background, they can easily understand that to help the people that they serve,” Harris said.
“It’s better health, accessing fresher food, making better decisions and potentially not having to rely on food banks for their primary source of nutrition.”
The site can be found at https://rfda-s-site.thinkific.com/courses/food-for-wellness.