“Physicians are on the front line of health care and should have a prominent role in public health as the health care landscape transforms.”
nutrition policy and on program admin- istration matters. The advisory committee’s 11 mem- bers include nutritionists, health care professionals, food service professionals, and educators. Texas Pediatric Society (TPS) President Kimberly Avila Edwards, MD, of Austin, has chaired the commit- tee since its inception and represents TPS and TMA.
“Government’s ability to be account-
able to its people depends on the pub- lic’s involvement in the process,” Com- missioner Staples said. “Without this leadership, unintended consequences are inevitable. Dr. Kim Avila Edwards’ leadership as chair of the Healthy Stu- dents = Healthy Families advisory com- mittee has been extremely valuable as we have continued to focus our child nutrition assistance programs to place those who are truly in need on a path of self-sufficiency.”
Created by the legislature in 1999, the council combats cardiovascular dis- ease (CVD) and stroke, which DSHS says are the No. 1 and No. 3 causes of death in Texas. It does so through health edu- cation, public awareness, and commu- nity outreach. It also coordinates activi- ties among agencies to improve access to treatment; develops treatment recom- mendations; and collects and analyzes information related to CVD and stroke. The council collaborates with busi- ness, health care, education, and com- munity organizations to develop a list of indicators that can help communi- ties promote a healthy environment to
reduce the impact of CVD and stroke. Dr. Rutledge says indicators adopted by cities who participate in the Heart and Stroke Healthy City Program include placing lifesaving devices such as auto- mated external defibrillators in public places, preserving park space for physi- cal activity, and encouraging employers to offer health insurance coverage for preventive services. The Heart and Stroke Healthy City
Program recognizes cities that have implemented health-conscious policies that can influence positive environmen- tal change and improve health. Dr. Rutledge says the program’s “in-
terventions have made a difference in increasing physical activity, improving eating habits, reducing tobacco use, and decreasing emergency response time to heart attacks and strokes.”
Harlan “Mark” Guidry, MD
Kimberly Avila Edwards, MD
44 TEXAS MEDICINE October 2013
Assessing school nutrition Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples established the Healthy Students = Healthy Families committee in 2007 to advise the Texas Department of Agricul- ture (TDA) on the state’s public school
The committee works with the Texas Hunger Initiative in the Baylor Univer- sity School of Social Work to assess the barriers Texas school districts face in offering summer food programs. The committee plans to give TDA input on methods to increase participation among eligible children. “One in four Texas children is at risk for hunger. Some children who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals don’t take part in a summer food pro- gram. The committee plans to examine the issue and provide recommendations to TDA to help eliminate the obstacles that prevent some children from partici- pating,” Dr. Avila Edwards said. The Center for Public Policy Priorities has identified factors that limit access to summer food programs, including lack of transportation, inadequate meal re- imbursements and number of food sites, and lack of program awareness. Healthy Students = Healthy Families also works to identify potential changes to the Texas public school nutrition pol- icy that could improve service delivery and student wellness. Dr. Avila Edwards says the committee is collaborating with Texas AgriLife, a re- search group that focuses on agriculture, natural resources, and the life sciences, to assess methods to identify and evalu-
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