Top International Chefs to spice up Vancouver during the Olympic Winter Games
Jet Set Sports Creates Premier Dining Experience with Culinary ‘Dream Team’
Jet Set Sports is assembling an international all-star team of accomplished chefs in Vancouver to head the Chef’s Table, the 2010 edition of Jet Set’s series of Games-time fine-dining experiences. Each of the award-winning chefs – from Great Britain, France, China, Germany and Switzerland – will take turns at the helm of the restaurant, adding his or her own signature flair to the dining experience. Described as a downtown, “pop-up” fine-dining venue, the Chef’s Table will operate only during the Olympic Winter Games and is being made available to guests of Jet Set Sports, the world’s leading Olympic hospitality company.
“Vancouver is bringing the world together, so we are bringing some of the world’s greatest chefs to Vancouver,” said Sead Dizdarevic, chairman and CEO of Jet Set Sports. “Five remarkable chefs will join us from Great Britain, France, China, Germany and Switzerland. Each of them will put his or her stamp on the Chef’s Table and provide our guests with an extraordinary meal to cap a fantastic day at the Games.”
The Chef’s Table will be located at 1088 Burrard Street at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre. Participating chefs include:
Chef Andre Jaeger, owner and operator of the Rheinhotel Fischerzunft in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, has masterfully created dishes for nearly four decades and has held 19/20 Gault Millau points since 1995.
Chef Edouard Loubet, the acclaimed proprietor of La Bastide de Capelongue in Bonnieux, France, is one the youngest French chefs to earn two Michelin Stars.
Chef Anton Mosimann, arguably the world’s first celebrity chef, is now the proprietor of the legendary London dining club, Mosimann’s. His talents were polished in leading restaurants in Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Sweden, Japan and Canada.
Chef Heinz Winkler, owner and operator of the Residenz Henz Winkler in Bayern-Chiemgau, Germany, was awarded his first Michelin star in 1979, and at the age of 32, became one of the youngest three-star Michelin chefs in history.
Chef Zhang Jin Jie (a.k.a. Jin-R), the incredibly talented owner and chef of the “classic-modern” Green T House in Beijing, takes inspiration from the changing seasons. Her creations are works of art with each dish cleverly infused with Chinese teas, spices, flower petals and her signature garnish, Green Tea Powder.
“We’ve been a proud partner to the Olympic Movement and Organizing Committees for 25 years. Part of our role is to make sure our guests have a great experience at the Games and in the host city. We take this responsibility seriously, so for each Games, we try to create something special,” said Dizdarevic. “Without a doubt, the chefs we have assembled will add that special ingredient to our guests’ Games experience.”
Operating at every Olympic Games since 1984 in Sarajevo and serving only Olympic Games travelers, Jet Set Sports has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to deliver the very best in accommodations, event tickets, ground transportation, management, and of course, dining.
Bill Gates to call for United Action to support world’s poorest farmers
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to Announce $120 Million in New Agriculture Grants
Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, on Thursday will urge governments, donors, researchers, farmer groups, environmentalists, and others to set aside old divisions and join forces to help millions of the world’s poorest farming families boost their yields and incomes so they can lift themselves out of hunger and poverty. Gates will say the effort must be guided by the farmers themselves, adapted to local circumstances, and sustainable for the economy and the environment.
Speaking at the World Food Prize in Des Moines, Iowa, in his first major address on agricultural development, Gates will lay out the foundation’s vision, which includes investments in better seeds, training, market access, and policies that support small farmers. Gates also will announce nine foundation grants totaling $120 million that illustrate the range of efforts necessary to empower millions of small farmers to grow enough to build better, healthier lives.
“Melinda and I believe that helping the poorest small-holder farmers grow more crops and get them to market is the world’s single most powerful lever for reducing hunger and poverty,” Gates will say, according to a draft of his speech.
After his speech, Gates will be joined on the stage by the 2009 World Food Prize laureate, Dr. Gebisa Ejeta, a renowned Ethiopian sorghum researcher who was honored for his work to develop hybrids resistant to drought and the Striga weed — advances credited with increasing food security for hundreds of millions of Africans.
The foundation’s new grants include funding for legumes that fix nitrogen in the soil, higher yielding varieties of sorghum and millet, and new varieties of sweet potatoes that resist pests and have a higher vitamin content. Other projects will help the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa support African governments in developing policies that serve small farmers; help get information to farmers by radio and cell phone; support school feeding programs; provide training and resources that African governments can draw on as they regulate biotechnologies; and help women farmers in India manage their land and water resources sustainably. To date, the foundation has committed $1.4 billion to agricultural development efforts.
Gates will say the world should draw inspiration from the agricultural transformation in Latin America and Asia during the 1960s to 1980s, known as the Green Revolution, which averted famine, saved hundreds of millions of lives, and fueled widespread economic development.
But Gates will warn that as scientists, governments, and others strive to repeat the successes of the original Green Revolution, they should be careful not to repeat its mistakes, such as the overuse of fertilizer and irrigation.
“The next Green Revolution has to be greener than the first,” Gates will say. “It must be guided by small-holder farmers, adapted to local circumstances, and sustainable for the economy and the environment.”
According to the World Bank, three-quarters of the 1 billion people who live in extreme poverty depend on agriculture for a living. More than 1 billion people suffer from chronic hunger in the developing world. In the world’s poorest areas, small farmers frequently face harsh conditions, including depleted soils, pests, drought, diseases, and lack of water. Even if they manage to grow a surplus, they often lack a reliable market where they can sell it.
Despite these challenges, there are reasons for optimism in the fight against hunger. After two decades of neglect, the world’s attention is once again focused on agricultural development. The G20 group of leading donor and developing nations recently made a three-year, $22 billion pledge to help solve global hunger by supporting small farmers in the developing world.
“It’s a great thing that donor nations are focusing on this issue,” Gates will say. “But we need them to spell out clearly what the $22 billion means — how much is old money, how much is new, how soon can they spend it, and when will they do more?”
While Gates will say that major breakthroughs in the fight against hunger and poverty are now within reach, he will caution that progress toward alleviating global hunger is “endangered by an ideological wedge that threatens to split the movement in two.” On one side, he will say, there are groups that support technological solutions to increase agricultural productivity without proper regard to environmental and sustainability concerns. On the other, there are those who react negatively to any emphasis on productivity.
“It’s a false choice, and it’s dangerous for the field,” Gates will say. “It blocks important advances. It breeds hostility among people who need to work together. And it makes it hard to launch a comprehensive program to help poor farmers. The fact is, we need both productivity and sustainability — and there is no reason we can’t have both.”
Gates will say the foundation is supporting research on crops that can withstand drought and flooding so poor farmers can adapt to climate change. It is also supporting a ground-breaking effort with the World Food Programme (WFP) to buy food from small farmers in the developing world for food aid. WFP has already purchased 17,000 metric tons of food from small farmers through the program, linking many to markets for the first time.
Gates will say the foundation isn’t an advocate of any particular scientific method. “Of course, these technologies must be subject to rigorous scientific review to ensure they are safe and effective. It’s the responsibility of governments, farmers, and citizens — informed by excellent science — to choose the best and safest way to help feed their countries,” Gates will say.
Gates will also pay tribute to Dr. Norman Borlaug, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his pioneering work in expanding agricultural production in the developing world, who died on September 12 of this year.
“His passing is cause for sadness, but his life should make us optimistic,” Gates will say. “He not only showed humanity how to get more food from the earth — he proved that farming has the power to lift up the lives of the poor. It’s a lesson the world is thankfully relearning today.”
Source: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
New survey: Food banks struggle as economic woes and record unemployment send many Americans in search of food
Increasing Demand Driven By First-Time Users
Food banks across the nation report that the current recession and the continuing rise in unemployment are having a profound effect on their ability to feed millions of Americans living at risk of hunger, according to a new survey released today by Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief charity.
The increase is nearly universal — 99 percent of all participating food banks reported a significant surge in demand for emergency food assistance over the past year.
The hardest hit areas include Asheville, North Carolina; Fort Myers, Florida; Kansas City, Missouri; Minneapolis; and food banks in South Carolina, Mississippi and Colorado.
Food banks report that the increase is particularly driven by first-time users of the food assistance system (98 percent of food banks) and more people who have recently lost their jobs (92 percent).
More than half (56 percent) of food banks reported that they are seeing more children as clients.
“It’s becoming increasingly difficult for many food banks and their agencies to meet the needs of their clients, especially when new clients arrive all the time,” said Vicki Escarra, president and C.E.O. of Feeding America. “This is especially sobering when you consider that our network of 205 food banks delivered a record-breaking amount of food and groceries this past year — more than 2.6 billion pounds between July 2008 and June 2009 — which was an increase of 21.4 percent over the previous year.”
“More and more families are waiting in lines overnight, coming out in high heat, or traveling long distances in rural America just to get a meal or a box of food. The humbling reality for many of these Americans is that they have never had to rely on emergency food assistance before, and they never dreamed they would find themselves in this situation,” Escarra said.
More than half (55%) of food banks reported that they or the agencies who help distribute the food they provide have had to turn people away in the last year.
The survey showed an average increase of 30 percent in requests for emergency food assistance since July 2008, with increases ranging from 5 percent to more than 100 percent.
More than 175 Feeding America food banks responded to the survey, which collected information about the economic challenges faced by the nation’s food assistance network, and the ability of food banks, soup kitchens, emergency shelters and other providers to respond to the need.
“While local economic circumstances, like plant closings, can have a significant impact on food banks, the most critical change we’ve seen over the past year in the ability of low-income families to put food on the table is a shift from the challenges of increasing food and fuel costs to unemployment and underemployment,” said Escarra. “We frequently hear stories from around the country that people who once donated to food banks are now waiting in lines as clients.”
“Even in areas where food banks have reported more support in food and funds, they almost universally report that the need is outpacing the availability of resources,” said Escarra. “Most economists project that unemployment lags the return of economic stability following a recession by one to two years. This means that the incredible strain on the nation’s charitable food assistance network is not likely to dissipate any time in the foreseeable future.”
Additionally, participation in the Supplemental Food Assistance Program (SNAP formerly the Food Stamp Program), the largest of the nation’s federal nutrition programs, reached an all-time record of 35 million recipients in June 2008 — a 22 percent increase over a year prior. Child nutrition programs are currently set to expire on Sept. 30, 2009, and Congress will be considering whether to extend current levels of funding or increase funding in the coming weeks.
“This survey underscores the importance of Congress providing more funding for Child Nutrition programs this fall and supporting President Obama’s pledge to end child hunger by 2015,” said Escarra. “It is both tragic and unacceptable for anyone in this nation to go hungry, but we are especially concerned for the 12 million children living in food insecure households and suffering long term consequences as a result. Recent research has shown that children in food insecure households have difficulty learning and are less likely to become healthy, productive members of our society.”
Food banks also reported in the survey that increased support through federal nutrition programs, including through the recent American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, have provided vital support to their local efforts. Among food banks that distribute The Emergency Food Assistance Program, USDA’s commodity program intended to help feed low-income Americans, 92 percent said the increase in food from the federal government has been very important to their capacity to meet the growing need. Additionally, half of the food banks cited recent increases in benefits from the SNAP (formerly the Food Stamp Program) as being very important to clients in their service area.
“As Congress and the Administration balance a very daunting list of priorities to jumpstart our economy, I hope that they will continue to remember the poor and near poor who suffer the most,” said Escarra. “We are deeply grateful for the support our food banks and clients have seen from the federal government this year, but it is important to acknowledge that millions of people still are continuing to face extraordinarily difficult times.”
For complete details on Feeding America’s “Economic Impact Survey” including anecdotes from across the nation, please visit http://feedingamerica.org/newsroom/local-impact-study.aspx .
Source: Feeding America
America takes on the Challenge to Fight Obesity
Over a Million Americans Join Dr. Ian Smith’s 50 Million Pound Challenge to Take Action
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report has now confirmed that America is in a national obesity crisis. More than one out of three Americans is obese and it’s threatening America’s well-being, not only as individuals, but as a country.
Fortunately, America is a singularly resourceful and powerful nation when we join together and take a stand. More than 1.3 million people from all 50 states, including government officials, celebrities, and local leaders are already taking charge of their personal wellness by joining Dr. Ian Smith’s 50 Million Pound Challenge. The community-based movement is rapidly building momentum and rallying Americans to lose a collective 50 million pounds. This tremendous accomplishment will make an enormous dent in the nation’s healthcare crisis.
“America’s obesity epidemic requires a multi-faceted approach including individual motivation, accessible free resources, government support, and community involvement,” says Dr. Ian, founder and creator of The 50 Million Pound Challenge and NY Times bestselling author of The 4 Day Diet. “No single person can fight this alone; but with free tools and the motivation of each citizen in every town we can provide each other with a continuously growing support network that a million people have already found in The Challenge.”
In the current weak economy, many are trying to shed extra pounds, but when strapped for resources, their personal wellness efforts can become a low priority. The 50 Million Pound Challenge offers Americans the free accessible tools they need to combat obesity at 50MillionPounds.com. In addition, the Challenge provides a dependable support network for all those who participate. It’s a winning formula – and cities, churches, civic groups, friends, and families across America are teaming up to help reverse the epidemic of excess weight and turn it into a culture of healthier living.
Now Dr. Ian Smith is also teaming up with communities and leaders across the nation to host the first annual series of Walk Offs on September 12th. Sixteen mayors from leading cities nationwide including Houston, Phoenix and Philadelphia are hosting this The 50 Million Pound Challenge grassroots initiative to bring community intervention and support to life. Mayor White of Houston comments, “Houstonians have already begun the fight against diet-driven illnesses through personal initiative; and now with the alarming clarity of the report’s fiscal concerns, we have additional accountability to our communities to make a change toward a healthier lifestyle. I strongly encourage Houstonians to come out on September 12th to continue a journey to wellness.”
The 50 Million Pound Challenge invites everyone across the nation to join The Challenge Walk Off. Fellow citizens can sign up to host their own walks in their respective cities by logging onto 50MillionPounds.com. The first 50 teams with 50 team members to host a walk on September 12th will receive 50 free t-shirts featuring The Challenge logo.
Anyone can join The Challenge at 50millionpounds.com, the campaign’s online support community. The site tallies total pounds lost and offers participants free resources including a 30-day diet plan, online journal, personal weight and activity trackers, and Challenge teams to make fitness easier and more fun. Currently, more than 37,000 Challenge teams – which anyone can join or start their own – are helping their members lose 23 percent more weight than the overall campaign average. Already the site has helped more than 1.3 million people “Give up the pounds not the fight,” and shed a collective 4.6 million pounds. For more information on The 50 Million Pound Challenge Walk Offs please visit 50MillionPounds.com. The 50 Million Pound Challenge is sponsored by State Farm .
Dr. Ian Smith’s 50 Million Pound Challenge is a call-to-action for all Americans to come together and help people take control of their health by getting fit, losing excess weight and turning back the deadly toll of weight-related diseases that threaten nearly half of us. The Challenge, a campaign supported and endorsed by leaders across the community and national civic and health organizations, is sponsored by State Farm .
Source: The 50 Million Pound Challenge
Millions of U.S. children low in Vitamin D
Seven out of ten U.S. children have low levels of vitamin D, raising their risk of bone and heart disease, according to a study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. The striking findings suggest that vitamin D deficiency could place millions of children at risk for high blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease.
The study, “Prevalence and Associations of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Deficiency in Children and Adolescents in the United States: Results from NHANES 2001-2004,” was published today in the online edition of Pediatrics.
“Several small studies had found a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in specific populations, but no one had examined this issue nationwide,” says study leader Michal L. Melamed, M.D., assistant professor of medicine and of epidemiology & population health at Einstein. Dr. Melamed has published extensively on the importance of vitamin D.
The researchers analyzed data on more than 6,000 children, ages one to 21, collected by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001-2004. They found that 9 percent of the study sample, equivalent to 7.6 million children across the U.S., was vitamin D deficient (defined as less than 15 ng/mL of blood), while another 61 percent, or 50.8 million, was vitamin D insufficient (15 to 29 ng/mL). Low vitamin D levels were especially common in children who were older, female, African-American, Mexican-American, obese, drank milk less than once a week, or spent more than four hours a day watching TV, playing videogames, or using computers.
The researchers also found that low levels of vitamin D deficiency were associated with poor bone health, higher systolic blood pressure, and lower calcium levels and HDL (good) cholesterol levels, which are key risk factors for heart disease.
“We expected the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency would be high, but the magnitude of the problem nationwide was shocking,” says lead author Juhi Kumar, M.D., M.P.H., a fellow in pediatrics at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center, The University Hospital and Academic Medical Center for Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
The authors recommend that pediatricians should routinely screen high-risk children for vitamin D deficiency, and that parents should ensure that their kids get adequate amounts of the vitamin through a combination of diet, supplements, and exposure to sunlight.
As for parents, says Dr. Melamed, “It would good for them to turn off the TV and send their kids outside. Just 15 to 20 minutes a day should be enough. And unless they burn easily, don’t put sunscreen on them until they’ve been out in the sun for 10 minutes, so they get the good stuff but not sun damage.”
Source: Albert Einstein College of Medicine
American hygiene habits getting worse: International study reveals more illness-causing germs than ever in American kitchens
Global Experts Call for Improved Hygiene Practices to Fight the Spread of Infectious Diseases
American hygiene habits are going downhill and kitchen surfaces continue to harbor illness-causing bacteria that can threaten families, according to a new international study released today from the Hygiene Council, sponsored by LYSOL brand products. Investigators swabbing for bacteria in the United States and around the world found that, despite American home owners claiming to clean their kitchen sink faucet handles at least once per week, 60 percent of faucets analyzed failed the hygiene test for having unsatisfactory or heavily contaminated levels of bacteria that come from feces or can cause skin infections. This is dramatically worse than 2008 when only 25 percent of kitchen faucets failed.
Of the eight countries participating in the 2009 global study, the United Kingdom, Germany, South Africa and Saudi Arabia all had cleaner kitchen sink faucets than the United States. While the United States fared better than much of the world in other rooms of the home, it continued to lose the battle against germs in the kitchen, one of the places where families spend the most time.
The new study also found that 65 percent of Americans claim to clean or change their kitchen sponge or cloth every month or more, but 70 percent of American sponges analyzed failed the hygiene test. This is only a 5 percent improvement over 2008, when 75 percent failed the hygiene test — concerning because analysis of the new swabs revealed that U.S. sponges harbored E. coli, which can cause urinary tract infections and diarrhea. Kitchen cloths and sponges proved, once again, to be the germiest item in the home, which only 20 percent of homeowners predicted.
“Given the recent influenza A (H1N1) pandemic, it is more important than ever that Americans make hygiene a priority for their families. Parents’ intentions are good, but results can be dramatically improved by following simple, proper, hygiene routines to help protect their families from illness-causing germs,” said John Oxford, chairman of the Hygiene Council and Professor of Virology at St. Bartholomew’s & The Royal London Hospital, Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry.
The Hygiene Council is comprised of leading experts in the fields of microbiology, virology, infectious diseases, immunology and public health from around the globe, who have been educating consumers for the past four years about effective hygiene practices to help in the fight against the spread of infectious diseases. For the 2009 Hygiene Council study, investigators examined more than 1,280 household surfaces in eight countries around the world (Australia, Germany, India, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States) to look for bacteria and learn more about families’ hygiene habits.
The Council recommends that families follow these routines to help stop the spread of harmful germs:
Hand Washing – Wash your hands frequently and regularly, especially after going to the bathroom, before and after preparing food, after changing a diaper, after touching animals and pets and if someone in your household is ill. It is important to use soap and water, scrub underneath your nails and the back of your hands and dry thoroughly with a paper towel.
Surface Disinfection – According to global results from the study, more than 27 percent of home owners said they only clean their home to make it “look clean” and “smell nice.” However, study results showed that simply cleaning is not enough to kill germs. Commonly touched surfaces, such as the kitchen faucet, should be regularly sprayed down with a disinfectant, such as LYSOL Disinfectant Spray. To reduce the chances of cross contamination, skip the sponges and instead clean kitchen surfaces with a disinfectant product before preparing food and immediately after surfaces have been in contact with raw foods, such as meat and poultry.
Cough and Sneeze Etiquette – Practice good cough and sneeze etiquette to prevent spreading germs to others. Cough into your elbow, rather than your hands, and sneeze into a tissue to minimize hand contact transmission of germs. Immediately throw away used tissues and wash your hands.
“These simple, low cost activities can be quite effective in keeping families healthy,” says pediatrician Dr. Laura Jana, co-author of Heading Home with Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality and Food Fights. “While it’s easy to understand how parents might overlook all of the common places where their young children can come into contact with germs in the course of their hectic daily lives, consistently following these simple steps can help protect their families.”
The Hygiene Council recommendations are consistent and in support of recommendations made by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in their Ounce of Prevention materials (www.cdc.gov/ounceofprevention). The Hygiene Council is funded by an educational grant from Reckitt Benckiser, makers of LYSOL brand products.
Additional information:
- LYSOL: http://www.lysol.com/
- The Hygiene Council: www.hygienecouncil.com
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Ounce of Prevention Campaign: www.cdc.gov/ounceofprevention
New report finds obesity epidemic increases, Mississippi weighs in as heaviest state
Experts Recommend Addressing Obesity through Health Reform, National Strategy
Adult obesity rates increased in 23 states and did not decrease in a single state in the past year, according to F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America 2009, a report released today by the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). In addition, the percentage of obese or overweight children is at or above 30 percent in 30 states.
“Our health care costs have grown along with our waist lines,” said Jeff Levi, Ph.D., executive director of TFAH. “The obesity epidemic is a big contributor to the skyrocketing health care costs in the United States. How are we going to compete with the rest of the world if our economy and workforce are weighed down by bad health?”
Mississippi had the highest rate of adult obesity at 32.5 percent, making it the fifth year in a row that the state topped the list. Four states now have rates above 30 percent, including Mississippi, West Virginia (31.2 percent), Alabama (31.1 percent) and Tennessee (30.2 percent). Eight of the 10 states with the highest percentage of obese adults are in the South. Colorado continued to have the lowest percentage of obese adults at 18.9 percent.
Adult obesity rates now exceed 25 percent in 31 states and exceed 20 percent in 49 states and Washington, D.C. Two-thirds of American adults are either obese or overweight. In 1991, no state had an obesity rate above 20 percent. In 1980, the national average for adult obesity was 15 percent. Sixteen states experienced an increase for the second year in a row, and 11 states experienced an increase for the third straight year.
Mississippi also had the highest rate of obese and overweight children (ages 10 to 17) at 44.4 percent. Minnesota and Utah had the lowest rate at 23.1 percent. Eight of the 10 states with the highest rates of obese and overweight children are in the South. Childhood obesity rates have more than tripled since 1980.
“Reversing the childhood obesity epidemic is a critical ingredient for delivering a healthier population and making health reform work,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., RWJF president and CEO. “If we can prevent the current generation of young people from developing the serious and costly chronic conditions related to obesity, we can not only improve health and quality of life, but we can also save billions of dollars and make our health care systems more efficient and sustainable.”
The F as in Fat report contains rankings of state obesity rates and a review of federal and state government policies aimed at reducing or preventing obesity. Some additional key findings from F as in Fat 2009 include:
- The current economic crisis could exacerbate the obesity epidemic. Food prices, particularly for more nutritious foods, are expected to rise, making it more difficult for families to eat healthy foods. At the same time, safety-net programs and services are becoming increasingly overextended as the numbers of unemployed, uninsured and underinsured continue to grow. In addition, due to the strain of the recession, rates of depression, anxiety and stress, which are linked to obesity for many individuals, also are increasing.
- Nineteen states now have nutritional standards for school lunches, breakfasts and snacks that are stricter than current USDA requirements. Five years ago, only four states had legislation requiring stricter standards.
- Twenty-seven states have nutritional standards for competitive foods sold a la carte, in vending machines, in school stores or in school bake sales. Five years ago, only six states had nutritional standards for competitive foods.
- Twenty states have passed requirements for body mass index (BMI) screenings of children and adolescents or have passed legislation requiring other forms of weight-related assessments in schools. Five years ago, only four states had passed screening requirements.
- A recent analysis commissioned by TFAH found that the Baby Boomer generation has a higher rate of obesity compared with previous generations. As the Baby Boomer generation ages, obesity-related costs to Medicare and Medicaid are likely to grow significantly because of the large number of people in this population and its high rate of obesity. And, as Baby Boomers become Medicare-eligible, the percentage of obese adults age 65 and older could increase significantly. Estimates of the increase in percentage of obese adults range from 5.2 percent in New York to 16.3 percent in Alabama.
Key report recommendations for addressing obesity within health reform include:
- Ensuring every adult and child has access to coverage for preventive medical services, including nutrition and obesity counseling and screening for obesity-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes;
- Increasing the number of programs available in communities, schools, and childcare settings that help make nutritious foods more affordable and accessible and provide safe and healthy places for people to engage in physical activity; and
- Reducing Medicare expenditures by promoting proven programs that improve nutrition and increase physical activity among adults ages 55 to 64.
The report also calls for a National Strategy to Combat Obesity that would define roles and responsibilities for federal, state and local governments and promote collaboration among businesses, communities, schools and families.
It would seek to advance policies that
- Provide healthy foods and beverages to students at schools;
- Increase the availability of affordable healthy foods in all communities;
- Increase the frequency, intensity, and duration of physical activity at school;
- Improve access to safe and healthy places to live, work, learn, and play;
- Limit screen time; and
- Encourage employers to provide workplace wellness programs.
The full report with state rankings in all categories is available on TFAH’s Web site at www.healthyamericans.org and RWJF’s Web site at www.rwjf.org. The report was supported by a grant from RWJF.
State-by-State Adult Obesity Rankings
Note: 1 = Highest rate of adult obesity, 51 = lowest rate of adult obesity. Rankings are based on combining three years of data (2006-2008) from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to “stabilize” data for comparison purposes. This methodology, recommended by the CDC, compensates for any potential anomalies or usual changes due to the specific sample in any given year in any given state. States with a statistically significant (p<0.05) increase for one year are noted with an asterisk (*), states with statistically significant increases for two years in a row are noted with two asterisks (**), states with statistically significant increases for three years in a row are noted with three asterisks (***). Additional information about methodologies and confidence interval is available in the report. Adults with a body mass index, a calculation based on weight and height ratios, of 30 or higher are considered obese.
1. Mississippi*** (32.5%); 2. Alabama* (31.2%); 3. West Virginia (31.1%); 4. Tennessee*** (30.2%); 5. South Carolina (29.7%); 6. Oklahoma*** (29.5%); 7. Kentucky (29.0%); 8. Louisiana (28.9%); 9. Michigan*** (28.8%) 10. (tie) Arkansas (28.6%) and Ohio* (28.6%); 12. North Carolina*** (28.3%); 13. Missouri (28.1%); 14. (tie) Georgia (27.9%) and Texas (27.9%); 16. Indiana (27.4%); 17. Delaware*** (27.3%); 18. (tie) Alaska (27.2%) and Kansas*** (27.2%) 20. (tie) Nebraska (26.9%) and South Dakota*** (26.9%); 22. (tie) Iowa (26.7%) and North Dakota* (26.7%) and Pennsylvania** 26.7%; 25. (tie) Maryland*** (26.0%) and Wisconsin (26.0%); 27. Illinois 25.9%; 28. (tie) Oregon (25.4%) and Virginia (25.4) and Washington*** (25.4%); 31. Minnesota (25.3%); 32. Nevada* 25.1%; 33. (tie) Arizona** (24.8%) and Idaho (24.8%); 35. Maine* (24.7%); 36. New Mexico*** (24.6%); 37. New York** (24.5%) 38. Wyoming (24.3%); 39. (tie) Florida* (24.1%) and New Hampshire (24.1%); 41. California (23.6%); 42. New Jersey (23.4%); 43. Montana** (22.7%); 44. Utah (22.5%); 45. District of Columbia (22.3%); 46. Vermont** (22.1%); 47. Hawaii* (21.8%); 48. Rhode Island (21.7%); 49. Connecticut (21.3%); 50. Massachusetts (21.2%); 51. Colorado (18.9%)
State-by-State Obese and Overweight Children Ages 10-17 Rankings
Note: 1 = Highest rate of childhood overweight, 51 = lowest. Rankings are based on the National Survey of Children’s Health, a phone survey of parents with children ages 10-17 conducted in 2007 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Additional information about methodologies and confidence intervals is available in the report. Children with a body mass index, a calculation based on weight and height ratios, at or above the 95th percentile for their age are considered obese and children at or above the 85th percentile are considered overweight. States with statistically significant (p<0.05) increases in combined obesity and overweight since the NSCH was last issued in 2003 are noted with an asterisk (*).
1. Mississippi* (44.4%); 2. Arkansas (37.5%); 3. Georgia (37.3%); 4. Kentucky (37.1%) 5. Tennessee (36.5%) 6. Alabama (36.1%); 7. Louisiana (35.9%); 8. West Virginia (35.5%); 9. District of Columbia (35.4%); 10. Illinois (34.9%); 11. Nevada* (34.2%); 12. Alaska (33.9%); 13. South Carolina (33.7%); 14. North Carolina (33.5%); 15. Ohio (33.3%); 16. Delaware (33.2%); 17. Florida (33.1%); 18. New York (32.9%); 19. New Mexico (32.7%) 20. Texas (32.2%) 21. Nebraska (31.5%); 22. Kansas (31.1%); 23. (tie) Missouri (31.0%) and New Jersey (31.0%) and Virginia (31.0%); 26. (tie) Arizona (30.6%) and Michigan (30.6%); 28. California (30.5%); 29. Rhode Island (30.1%); 30. Massachusetts (30.0%) 31. Indiana (29.9%) 32. Pennsylvania (29.7%); 33. (tie) Oklahoma (29.5%) and Washington (29.5%); 35. New Hampshire (29.4%); 36. Maryland (28.8%); 37. Hawaii (28.5%); 38. South Dakota (28.4%); 39. Maine (28.2%); 40. Wisconsin (27.9%); 41. Idaho (27.5%); 42. Colorado (27.2%); 43. Vermont (26.7%); 44. Iowa (26.5%); 45. (tie) Connecticut (25.7%) and North Dakota (25.7%) and Wyoming (25.7%); 48. Montana (25.6%); 49. Oregon (24.3%); 50. (tie) Minnesota (23.1%) and Utah (23.1%)
Source: Trust for America’s Health
While July Fourth is America’s favorite grilling holiday, other countries celebrate their National Holidays much the same way
While the Fourth of July barbecue is as uniquely American as baseball and apple pie, the first International Weber GrillWatch Survey(TM) shows that outdoor cooks around the globe celebrate their own national holidays in much the same way.
Independence Day is the number one grilling holiday in the United States, according to the Survey, with 88 percent of American grill owners choosing to cook outside during this day. Interestingly, grillers from Canada and Australia also cite their countries’ national holidays as their top days for grilling–as well as those from France and Denmark.
The recent International Weber GrillWatch Survey, the only one of its kind, probes the grilling habits, knowledge, and preferences of 15,614 grill owners in 15 countries across five continents, representing a total of 390 million grillers in countries with populations totaling 2.1 billion people:
Canada / Canada Day: Canada Day commemorates the July 1, 1867 enactment of the British North America Act (which united Canada as a single country of four provinces), and is the top grilling holiday with 73 percent of Canadian grillers cooking outside. Labour Day is a close second there at 63 percent, followed by Father’s Day (53 percent), and Victoria Day (50 percent).
Australia / Australia Day: Australia Day is celebrated annually on January 26. It recognizes the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove and the proclamation of British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of Australia. According to the Survey, 69 percent of outdoor cooks there grill this day, with Christmas and New Year’s Day as a close second and third (65 and 63 percent, respectively).
France / 14 Juillet (Bastille Day): Fifty-four percent of French grillers cook outside on Bastille Day, the national holiday commemorating the end of the French Revolution and the symbolic storming of the Bastille. Ponts du mois de Mai (long holiday weekends in May) are second at 52 percent.
Denmark / Grundlovsdag: Fifty-two percent of Danish Survey respondents say this is their favorite day to barbecue, making it the number one choice. While not an official holiday, the Danes celebrate this day when King Frederik the VII signed the first Danish democratic constitution on June 5, 1849-putting an end to the absolute monarchy. Coincidentally, it’s also Father’s Day there.
Norway and Sweden / Mid-summer’s Eve: Called St. Hans aften in Norway and Midsommarafton in Sweden, 81 percent of Norwegian and 75 percent of Swedish Weber International Survey respondents cite this June 23 holiday as their favorite. Also according to the Survey, both countries choose their respective national holidays as their second most popular times to cook outdoors: Fifty-eight percent of Norwegians grill on Nasjonaldag (celebrating the 1814 ratification of the country’s constitution) and 40 percent of Swedes grill on Sveriges nationaldag, which celebrates their country’s origins.
Here are some more favorite grilling holidays from other countries that were included in the International Weber GrillWatch Survey:
Mexico / Dia del Padre: Mexican grill owners responded that Father’s Day is a top grilling holiday at 57 percent, but their number one favorite occasion to grill overall is birthdays (77 percent).
Brazil / Ano Novo: New Year’s is a huge grilling holiday in Brazil, with 78 percent of Survey respondents there celebrating around the barbecue.
Germany / An Geburstagen (birthdays): While 76 percent of German Survey respondents cited birthdays as their favorite occasion to grill, Pfingsten, a religious holiday, is second at 56 percent. Pfingsten celebrates Pentecost, 50 days after Easter Sunday.
UK / Summer Bank Holiday: Eighty-two percent of UK grillers cook outdoors on the Summer Bank Holiday that falls on the last Monday in August.
Holland / Verjaardag: The Dutch choose birthdays and anniversaries as their favorite grilling occasions (69 percent) with Pinksteren, a religious holiday celebrating Pentecost, second at 37 percent.
Spain / 15 de Agosto Asuncion: International Weber GrillWatch Survey respondents in Spain choose this August 15 holiday as their favorite day to cook outside (57 percent); it commemorates the assumption of the Virgin Mary.
Italy / Ferragosto: As their top grilling occasion, 76 percent of Italian grillers light the outdoor barbecue on August 15 to also recognize the assumption of the Virgin Mary during the middle of the country’s month-long August holiday.
India / Festival Season: While store-bought barbecues is a slowly burgeoning market in this country, 56 percent of those who grill choose birthdays as their favorite occasions followed by the late summer/early fall “Festival season” at 50 percent.
Methodology
All online fieldwork was conducted by U.S.-based Greenfield Online in 12 countries, while telephone interviews in Mexico and India were conducted by TNS, and in Brazil by Synovate. Final data was analyzed by Denver-based KeyStat Marketing, Inc.
Worlds largest expat survey reveals crunch hits expats hard
US, Thailand and South Africa most affected expat locations
Almost half of expats in UK considering returning home
Emerging markets rank above established centres for expat finances
UK worst for saving behind Spain and France
Despite economic crisis, expats are wealthier and save more than in country of origin
HSBC Bank International revealed that the current economic crisis has had a significant impact on expats’ financial situation, according to the world’s largest survey of expats, Expat Explorer.
The first of three instalments of this year’s survey, Expat Economics, showed that expats have reduced spending across the board, with the UK and the US identified as having some of the highest numbers of expats considering a move home.
Expat Explorer, now in its second year, surveyed over 3,100 expats from more than 50 countries and is the largest survey of its kind, with 46% more respondents than last year. Expat Economics is the first of three reports on the results and is a new addition to this year’s survey which looks at an expats’ economic quality of life. This is determined by four main economic factors:
- Annual income in excess of US$200,000
- A monthly disposable income in excess of US$3,000
- An increase in saving while living/working abroad (in their current country of residence)
- Having at least two luxury items in the country they live in
Paul Say, Head of Marketing and Communications for HSBC Bank International, said that this year’s survey revealed interesting insights into a dynamic segment of the world’s population, and also stands as a key indicator into how expats had been affected by global economic events.
“Last year’s survey gave us some really valuable insights into such a fascinating group of people and we are pleased to see even more expats participating in this year’s survey” said Mr Say.
“As the world continues to undergo a significant economic shift, we are seeing some interesting patterns amongst the expat population, particularly in the changes to their spending habits. Despite expats in the UK and US considering a move home we also found that the majority of expats are staying put despite growing employment uncertainty across many regions.”
The crunch and its effect on expats
Overall, the US, Thailand and South Africa have been most affected by the credit crunch, reducing their spending on essential and luxury items, general household maintenance and the money allocated to savings and investments. The largest reduction in essential day-to-day items was seen in Spain, where almost two-thirds (81%) of expats have cut back. Almost four-fifths of expats in the US (79%) and three quarters in the UK (75%) have also scaled down their spending on essential day-to-day items.
Not surprisingly, almost half (44% – the highest recorded figure in the survey) of expats in the UK and close to a quarter (23%) of expats in the US are considering returning home in light of the current financial crisis. This provides a stark contrast when compared to the average of only 15% of expats overall who are considering the same move.
Emerging markets best for expats’ finances
26 countries now feature in the ranking table (compared with 12 last year), with Russia (1st place) scoring highly as a result of the number of expats saving more, high annual salaries and the amount of disposable income available. Qatar (2nd place) and Saudi Arabia (3rd place) also scored highly in the areas of increased savings and disposable income, however had their scores affected by lower annual salaries. Interestingly, two-thirds of expats in Qatar (63%) said that their attitude to spending had not changed as a result of the economic crisis.
Geographically, Switzerland and the UK ranked 1st and 2nd respectively for Europe, with Qatar and Saudi Arabia leading the charge in the Middle East, Russia and Hong Kong top for the Asia-Pacific region and Mexico and the United States highest in the Americas.
An increase in saving
Many expatriates have taken advantage of their current location to increase the amount of money allocated to savings. Expats in the Middle East are strong savers, with the UAE ranking fifth (after Saudi Arabia, Russia, Qatar and India) as a country where expats are increasing their savings. The UAE and India were also top countries to save in the 2008 Expat Explorer report.
Expats in the UK were the worst savers/investors globally, with over a quarter of expats living in the UK (27% – the highest recorded in the survey) saying that they had reduced their savings and investments when compared to their home country.
Savings accounts are the most popular way to save for expats across virtually all markets, with the exceptions of Mexico, Malaysia, Japan and South Africa.
Where are the wealthiest expats?
Asia is home to the highest paid expats in the world, with one in four expats (25%) earning more than US$200,000 per year. Individually, the survey identified Russia, Japan and Qatar as home to the wealthiest expats, defined as an annual income in excess of US$200,000 and a monthly disposable income in excess of US$3,000. Over one-third (43%) of expats surveyed in Russia, 40% in Japan and 22% in Qatar answered that their annual income was over this US$200,000 mark.
Belgium and Australia are home to the least wealthy expats, with almost two-thirds (61%) of expats in Belgium and 63% of expats in Australia stating that their annual salary was US$100,000 or less. This compares to an average figure of 35% across all expats surveyed.
More disposable income and an increase in costs
Almost three-quarters (74%) of expats surveyed said that they have more disposable income than they did living in their country of origin, except those living in France (47%) and the UK (47%). Almost all expats in Qatar (94%), Russia (97%) and Saudi Arabia (98%) have more disposable income than they did living in their home country. More expats in these countries also have more than US$4,000 (70%, 59%, 52% respectively) of disposable income each month compared to the survey average of 36%.
Food and accommodation has seen the largest increase in spending for expats, a continuing theme from the 2008 Expat Explorer report. Expats in the UK spend more of their income on accommodation than in anywhere else in the world, with almost two-thirds (86%) ranking it as their greatest expenditure, a continuing trend from the 2008 report.
“As with our 2008 survey, we are generally seeing that although expats are spending more in their new countries of residence, they are also saving more,” said Mr. Say.
“There is no doubt that we have seen some interesting trends in terms of how expats are reacting to the credit crunch, but what is also interesting to see is that they remain to be a wealthy group of individuals. Over half of the expats surveyed are actually earning US$100,000 and over – no mean feat particularly in the current climate.”
The next instalment in the Expat Explorer series, Expat Existence, will be released in August this year and will focus around expats’ quality of life.
Get involved
Are you an expat? Follow the updates and join the debate online:
Tweet at: http://twitter.com/expatexplorer
Share your experiences: http://expatexplorer.blogspot.com/
Read the report in full: http://www.offshore.hsbc.com/expatexplorer
Source: HSBC Bank International
Historic signing finalizes equivalency agreement between U.S. and Canada
USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, in her keynote address at the Organic Trade Association (OTA)’s All Things Organic(TM) Conference and Trade Show, announced that an equivalency agreement has been reached between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
This historic equivalency agreement will allow the continued smooth flow of certified organic products between the two countries and support the continued growth of this rapidly expanding market in North America. It is the first such equivalency agreement worldwide for the organic industry.
The official signing will take place at Organic Trade Association (OTA)’s All Things Organic(TM) Conference and Trade Show at Lakeview Center, McCormick Place this afternoon during the State of the Organic Industry in North America session. The agreement, signed by the two government agencies, takes effect on June 30.
“This is the first step toward global harmonization of organic standards, and marks an historic moment for the organic community,” Merrigan told a standing-room-only audience at All Things Organic(TM).
As a result of the historic equivalency agreement, certified organic products as of July 1 can continue to move freely across the U.S. and Canadian border provided they use the new Canada Organic Biologique label or the USDA Organic seal.
“Consumers will benefit from equivalency, as they have access to a more affordable range of organic products, increased product diversity, and a reliable supply chain. As a result, consumers will continue to have confidence in the organic integrity and government oversight of the products they buy,” said Christine Bushway, OTA’s Executive Director.
Under equivalency, producers certified to NOP regulations by a USDA accredited certifying agent do not have to double-certify to the Canadian organic standards in order to meet Canadian labeling requirements when exporting to the Canadian market. Similarly, Canadian producers certified to Canadian organic standards by a CFIA accredited certifying body will be deemed equivalent to the NOP to meet the labeling requirements of the U.S. market when selling to the U.S.
Founded nearly 25 years ago, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. OTA’s mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy( www.ota.com).
Source: Organic Trade Association