Doctors Visit OC Supermarkets in Major Push to Combat Obesity and Improve Community Health; Residents Have Chance to "Shop with Your Doc"

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., Sept. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- St. Joseph Hoag Health and Ralphs joined forces today for a unique, free community health event where doctors and nutritionists visited the place where OC residents are making crucial health choices: the neighborhood supermarket.

St. Joseph Hoag Health doctors and nutritionists visited several Ralphs and Food4Less stores to help residents "Shop with Your Doc". At the events, health experts offered shoppers tours around the supermarket and answered questions about which items and ingredients offered healthier choices – an increasing challenge for customers selecting from a myriad of products promising various health benefits.

The events are part of St. Joseph Hoag Health's broad and steadfast focus on "population health" – improving the health of entire communities in Orange County, not just hospital patients. One in three Orange County children is overweight or obese.

"The supermarket has become the place where we make our most important everyday health decisions. We think everyone should be able to make those choices with the help of care providers and health experts they trust," said Dr. Richard Afable, CEO of St. Joseph Hoag Health. "Creating healthier communities requires a team approach. That means that doctors should be partnering with residents in our neighborhoods on wellness efforts, and it means that health care providers should be working with organizations like Ralphs to make even more resources available. Helping shoppers make more nutritious choices is a key part of this approach."

As supermarkets have become one-stop shopping for many consumers, and as shoppers are faced with more and more choices at the market, it's more important than ever that they have the resources to make healthier decisions. At the events, doctors and nutritionists offered tips like eating more colorful produce to reduce the risk of developing diseases like Alzheimer's and stroke; trying alternatives to fatty meats like beans or lentils; and choosing breads and cereals with whole-grain ingredients.

"We're excited to be teaming up with St. Joseph Hoag Health to give Ralphs and Food4Less shoppers the help they need to make the most nutritious choices at the grocery store," said Kendra Doyle, Community Affairs Senior Manager for Ralphs. "Ralphs and Food4Less have been strong  partners in the community in helping to keep families healthy, whether it's been offering a variety of healthy choices in our stores, providing health services, or teaming up with health leaders like St. Joseph Hoag. We want shoppers to be able to make the most knowledgeable and healthiest decisions, and having a chance to 'Shop with Your Doc' is just another way to help them pick the best ingredients."

The "Shop with Your Doc" events come as healthcare providers nationwide are being more creative about combating obesity, other community health challenges, and rising health care costs by urging residents to make better decisions about their everyday health.

The Shop with Your Doc events took place at the following supermarkets:
Ralphs, 2030 E. Lincoln Ave., Anaheim; Ralphs, 2741 W. MacArthur Blvd., Santa Ana; and Food4Less, 2140 S. Bristol St., Santa Ana.

SOURCE St. Joseph Hoag Health