Check out some of the work the Healthy Eating Committee has done in the past!

Nutrition Guidelines

Diet and health are intrinsically linked, and the current state of health in Ohio is grim at best. According to The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America, Ohio's adult obesity rate is 30.4 percent, up from 24.4 percent in 2004 and from 11.3 percent in 1990. In order to curb these statistics, we must change our eating habits.

Every day in Greater Cleveland, thousands of meals and snacks are served to children beyond school hours, to senior citizens beyond their homes, and to community residents via countless community centers, food banks, and food pantries. The majority of these meals are served to the one in six Cleveland residents who are struggling to find their next meal, and provide an invaluable source of nutrition, community engagement, and sustenance.

For this reason, the Healthy Eating Committee chose to create nutrition guidelines to be used by publicly-funded institutions such as schools, daycares, food pantries, and feeding programs in our region. Our goal is to improve health and well-being, as well as the quality and nutrition of foods purchased, donated, and served by local government, agencies, and organizations.

The following Healthy Cleveland Nutrition Guidelines are based on the USDA Dietary Guidelines' current recommendations for consumers.

Click here to view our guidelines infographic.

Click here to read the full version of the guidelines.

Healthy Vending Guidelines

Obesity and poor nutrition are serious problems in our state and region. Frequent consumption of high-calorie, high-fat foods and beverages is a major contributor to obesity. Improving access to healthy food, particularly in vending machines, provides more options for consumers and creates a healthier environment.

For this reason, the Healthy Eating Committee chose to propose healthy vending guidelines to be used by government agencies, schools, businesses, and other organizations where vending machines are available.

The Healthy Cleveland Vending Guidelines are based on the current recommendations for consumers of the American Heart Association and USDA Smart Snacks in School Standards.

Click here to view our proposed recommendations / guidelines.

Click here to view the current City of Cleveland guidelines.

HIP-C HEAL Partnership

The Healthy Eating Committee works closely with the HIP-Cuyahoga Healthy Eating Active Living committee to align our mutual work for collective impact as it relates to food access in our community. Currently, we are working to support their efforts around expanding healthy food retail establishments in Greater Cleveland neighborhoods considered to be "food deserts." Please visit HIP-C's "Healthy Food Matters Here" web page to learn more!