North Carolina Winner’s Circle Healthy Dining

ProgramKim Shovelin, MPH, RD, LDNMeg Molloy, DrPH, MPH, RD

NC Prevention Partners

APHA November, 2003

What is Winner’s Circle?The Winner's Circle is a healthy dining program of NC Prevention Partners, the Cardiovascular Health, Physical Activity and Nutrition, and Women and Children's Health Programs of the NC Division of Public Health; the NC Department of Public Instruction; and local health agencies; with support from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

North Carolina Department

of Public Instruction

Our Partners:

NC Prevention PartnersStatewide 501(c) 3 housed in the Institute

of Public Health, UNC-CH with mission:

Putting prevention first for a healthier NC

by fostering partnerships, promoting prevention, and influencing policy

What is Winner’s Circle?• National healthy dining initiative to

create and promote healthy eating out environments

• Operates at local and statewide levels in numerous eating venues

• Piloted in 1999/ 2000

Winner’s Circle Aims• To create healthy eating environments across the

nation by empowering local partners and affiliates to offer various dining venues technical assistance to identify & promote healthy menu items;

• To create consistent, credible and easily recognized nutritional guidance for consumers in participating restaurants (and other eating venues) on menus, doors, menu inserts, brochures, table tents…

• To increase consumer demand for healthy items away from home with marketing tools and local promotions

How Does Winner’s Circle work in NC?

• NC Prevention Partners:– conducts research and develops model &

materials– develops training and tool kits– manages the program– identifies new partners– forms media partnerships– evaluates

• State PAN and Cardiovascular Health Units, NC DHHS support local health departments to implement the program

Who are the local partners? Counties develop or engage existing local

coalitions who are trained to do the Winner’s Circle Program in their community

Partners come from health departments, hospitals, universities, businesses, cooperative extension, dietetic association chapters

How Does It Work in EatingEstablishments?• Locals identify restaurant or NCPP

identifies chain• Commit to participate• Merchandise Winner’s Circle choices in

eating establishment• Communicate participation in Winner’s

Circle via media and public relations• Support from coalitions in counties

Nutrition Criteria This program should first actively guide

food choices that promote health (fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, calcium-rich, bottled water)

Limit fat and sodium Snack food limit sugar and in schools

limit portions Separate criteria for meals, items,

snacks

Where is Winner’s Circle?

• Restaurants (local and chain)• Vending Machines• Schools• Work site cafeterias• Hospitals• Sporting Venues• Convenient Stores

After 3 years, what NC eating out establishmentsare participating?

• 90 of 100 counties in NC• Working towards implementation

in over 50 of 117 school districts• Subway and McDonald’s in NC• launching Golden Corral nationally

What’s in the Works... Approved snack list for vending/

convenient stores Partnerships with key national

organizations Labeling behind the scenes (approved

foods from vendors) Bringing the program to new states

The Website

The Website…www.ncwinnerscircle.org

new website coming: www.winnerscirclehealthydining.com

Email Kim at kim@ncpreventionpartners.org

How Can Winner’s Circle Come to Your State? Winners Circle is expanding nationally Chain expansion across state lines Training available to state health & education

departments NCPP provides:

Rights to use name, logo and all materials Training to cross agency teams Turnkey kit of stickers, manual with a step-by-step

guide and multiple tools Technical assistance Menu of additional services

Key to Success: Turnkey Program• Tools and kit ready to go• Piloted in numerous eating establishments and

populations• Attitude of partnership with eating

establishments• Many merchandising tools • National partners established• Sound nutrition criteria