NuVal, eastern Texas public health group partner on wellness initiatives

QUINCY, Mass. — A company that ranks the nutritional value of foods sold in supermarkets is working with a public health organization in Texas to promote health and wellness.

NuVal announced Friday a partnership with the Northeast Texas Public Health District, also known as NET Health, which operates the public health district for the governments of Tyler and Smith County, Texas. Under the partnership, NuVal will provide material to NET Health wellness programs, such as a supplemental nutrition service for low-income residents, a program to reduce childhood obesity, a contest in Tyler that encourages participants to lose at least 5% of their body weight and starting this month, a resource team of health professionals acting as consultants to the program this year will provide guidance using NuVal scores.

NuVal currently operates in more than 1,600 supermarkets across the country, including Midwestern supermarket chain Hy-Vee and two supermarket chains in eastern Texas, Brookshire's and Super 1 Foods.

"We think that NuVal is perfect for what we're trying to do," NET Health project coordinator Terrence Ates said. "NuVal is an instantaneous learning experience that can be picked up by anyone."