IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- If you could
grocery shop with your doctor, would you make healthier food
choices? That's the question Orange
County residents can answer when St. Joseph Hoag Health
launches its "Shop with Your Doc" events from mid-October through
November at Ralphs and Food 4 Less supermarkets. In partnership
with Ralphs and Food 4 Less, the health network will station
doctors and other health care experts at grocery stores where
shoppers can get nutritional advice, as well as blood pressure
checks.
Orange County, like most of the
nation, has a rising obesity problem. About 21 percent of OC teens
are overweight or obese, as are more than 60 percent of adults,
according to the Orange County Health Care Agency. And, the
longer people live with obesity, the more they are at risk for high
blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
"At St. Joseph Hoag Health, we recognize that curtailing obesity
requires education that reaches the community in a personalized
way," said Richard Afable, MD, MPH,
President and CEO of the network. "Our Shop with Your Doc
partnership with Ralphs/Food 4 Less is in its third year of
successfully connecting with residents at the precise time and
place in which their dietary choices are being made. By building
nutrition awareness at the neighborhood supermarket, this annual
undertaking makes it easy and enjoyable for people to access the
expert information they need to shop smart, achieve or maintain a
healthy diet and, ultimately, prevent future health problems."
During Shop with Your Doc, shoppers can tour the store with
physicians, registered dieticians and other St. Joseph Hoag Health
experts and ask questions—about ingredients, labels, vitamins, food
groups, or how to get children to eat their vegetables, for
example. St. Joseph Hoag Health nurses and physician assistants
will also offer free blood pressure checks and educate shoppers
about how picking the right foods can protect their health.
"Unhealthy eating is one of the biggest contributors to obesity,
but people don't always know what foods are better for them," said
Amy Alias, MD, an internal medicine
physician with St. Jude Heritage Medical Group in Fullerton, part of the St. Joseph Hoag Health
network of care. "We care deeply about our neighbors, and an event
like Shop with Your Doc allows us to spread the word outside of the
doctor's office about the health benefits of good nutrition and the
kinds of foods that are part of a healthier lifestyle."
"The supermarket is an ideal place for health experts to show
people how to identify foods that meet their nutritional goals,"
said Kendra Doyel, public affairs
group vice president, Ralphs/ Food 4 Less. "We want Ralphs and Food
4 Less customers to be able to make informed and healthy decisions,
and Shop with Your Doc is helping them do that."
Shop with Your Doc is part of St. Joseph Hoag Health's
commitment to addressing community health challenges statewide and
making access to trusted health and medical advice easier and more
convenient.
Where the Wonders of Medicine Meet the Wonder of You – St.
Joseph Hoag Health
Shop with Your Doc will be hosted at the following locations
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.:
- Thursday, Oct. 20 - Food 4 Less,
315 E. First St., Santa Ana
- Monday, Oct. 24 - Ralphs, 2555
Eastbluff Dr., Newport Beach
- Friday, Oct. 28 - Ralphs,
Hillcrest Park Center, 1121 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton
- Wednesday, Nov. 9 - Ralphs, 19081
Goldenwest St., Huntington
Beach
- Saturday, Nov. 12 - Ralphs, 26751
Portola Parkway, Foothill
Ranch
- Monday, Nov. 14 - Food4Less, 1616
W. Katella Ave., Anaheim
- Wednesday, Nov. 16 - Food 4 Less,
914 W. Orangethorpe Ave., Fullerton
- Monday, Nov. 28 - Ralphs, 17605
Harvard Ave., Irvine
About St. Joseph Hoag Health:
St. Joseph Hoag Health is a historic alliance for Orange County, laying the foundation for
sweeping changes in the delivery and accessibility of high quality
health care. Combined, St. Joseph Hoag Health has earned some of
the highest honors for medical care, including Magnet designation
for many of its hospitals (the highest honor bestowed to hospitals
for nursing excellence). Drawing upon the strengths of renowned
health care organizations, St. Joseph Hoag Health focuses on
meeting the big challenges of health care today, including
expanding access, improving wellness and preventive services,
ensuring quality and developing more efficient methods in the
delivery of care. The network includes flagship hospitals
(Hoag Newport Beach, Hoag Irvine, Hoag Orthopedic Institute, Mission
Hospital Mission Viejo, Mission Hospital Laguna Beach, St. Joseph
Hospital Orange and St. Jude Medical Center), eight medical groups
and physician networks and numerous outpatient and urgent care
facilities in Orange County. The
network is also affiliated with CHOC Children's and CHOC Children's
at Mission Hospital. For additional information, visit
http://www.stjosephhoaghealth.org/.
About Ralphs:
Ralphs Grocery Company was founded in 1873 and currently
operates 207 supermarkets from its headquarters in Los Angeles. Last year, Ralphs contributed
more than $6 million to support
education, hunger relief, women's health and local nonprofit
organizations in the communities served by the company's stores.
Ralphs is a subsidiary of The Kroger Co., (NYSE:KR), one of the
world's largest retailers, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more about Ralphs,
please visit our web site at www.ralphs.com
About Food 4 Less:
Headquartered in Los Angeles,
Food 4 Less operates 131 price-impact, warehouse-format
supermarkets under the banners Food 4 Less in Southern California, Illinois and Indiana; and Foods Co in Central and
Northern California. Last year,
Food 4 Less contributed more than $4
million to support education, hunger relief, women's health
and local nonprofit organizations in the communities served by the
company's stores. Food 4 Less is a subsidiary of The Kroger Co.,
(NYSE:KR), one of the world's largest retailers, headquartered in
Cincinnati, Ohio. For more
information about Food 4 Less/Foods Co, please visit our websites
at www.food4less.com / www.foodsco.net.
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SOURCE St. Joseph Hoag Health