Apr. 15, 2009 at 11:58am

Making changes, one fakinagel at a time

Posted by Shari Campbell in Internal Communications, Measurement, Planning and Strategy
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My favoite lunch is a fakinagel.

A few years ago, when my cholesterol crept over 200 despite my mostly healthy diet and mostly regular exercise, I realized I needed to make more changes.

And the fakinagel was born.

A fakinagel is a vegetarian masterpiece – two strips of fake bacon and Swiss cheese, sandwiched between a whole wheat bagel.

Fast forward to April 2. Time magazine wrote an article called “How Obama is Using the Science of Change.”

The article suggests that “Obama is betting his presidency on our ability to change … the economy, health care and energy all depend on it.”

Old habits die hard, so Obama has assembled a “dream team” of behavioral scientists who suggest there are four keys to making change. And it has implications for hospitals and health care systems – globally and in your cafeteria.

1. Make it clear. Better information helps us make better choices. I’ve been hearing for years I need to eat more fruits and vegetables. But Costco makes it clear – and easy – by selling bulk packages of single-servings of applesauce, peaches and other fruits. And I’m a big fan of the “Know Your Numbers” campaign because it takes stuff like heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure and makes it easier for me to focus on something clear – three numbers.

2. Make it easy. The Obama administration is considering automatic sign up for retirement because they know we’re more likely to save that way – and less likely to opt out if it requires more work. Many hospital cafeterias are filled with fried foods and comfort foods. I wonder if health care workers would eat healthier if all cafeteria fare was healthy – and easily available no matter what the shift? Or if the cafeteria offered at a competitive price “healthy meals to go?”

3. Make it popular. If you’ve got teenagers, then you know this much: it’s cool to be green. Heck, my fashion forward daughter who wouldn’t consider shopping at Goodwill now wears recycled cotton t-shirts. It’s the rage. Will Wii Fit – even the tagline implies change: How will it move you? - help make exercise more popular?

4. Make it mandatory. Making health coverage mandatory helps solve one of the biggest issues today – millions of uninsured patients. But it doesn’t begin to address the ills of obesity and Type 2 diabetes. The Time article points out that when government wants people to change, it can make it the law. Mandating health insurance is one thing; mandating healthy habits is a lot trickier.

I like the recent move by the King County Board of Health, passing an ordinance requiring restaurants to list nutritional information on their menus, such as fat content and calories.

Well, I liked it until I went to Panera Breads.

the other day. The “healthy salad” I’d planned to order had 800-plus calories and way too much fat.

Made me yearn for a fakinagel!

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