NZ Ministry of Health Web Page
Printed 11/26/2009 01:26:15 PM
Back
Print
Healthy Eating - Healthy Action
Oranga Kai - Oranga Pumau
What’s happening?
Local/Regional Initiatives
The examples listed below have not all come about because of HEHA, and are not all Ministry led or have Ministry involvement but may contribute to the desired outcomes of HEHA. These examples are just a few of the many activities happening in the area of nutrition, physical activity and obesity. Further information and initiatives are available on the Nutrition and Physical Activity Database on the ANA website (
http://www.ana.org.nz/programmes.php3?34
).
The Mangere Healthy Kai programme
The Mangere Healthy Kai programme, based in the Mangere town centre, aims to increase the availability and consumption of healthy food choices. Each retailer sells ready to eat food that meets the criteria for Mangere Healthy Kai. Each shop displays colourful signage promoting their healthy kai items and the specifically developed ‘hook’ logo.
Health Promoting Churches Programme
The National Heart Foundation’s Pacific Islands Heartbeat launched the Health Promoting Churches Programme in July 2004. The programme delivers heart health messages to Pacific peoples and links churches to other health and social services.
The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative
The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, a UNICEF/WHO programme to improve breastfeeding rates, is progressively being implemented in New Zealand maternity facilities. Of the 87 facilities there are now 10 accredited maternity units.
View more information on the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative
Healthy Lifestyles Programme
In the Hutt Valley, the MidValley and Valley PHOs
are running a Healthy Lifestyles Programme. This programme consists of an exercise programme and a twelve-week nutrition and lifestyle programme. The exercise programme runs each week at various locations throughout the Hutt Valley. One of the key target populations of the Healthy Lifestyles Programme is Pacific people. The programme aims to improve participants’ overall health and well-being, encourage lifestyle changes, reduce participants’ weight and reduce the incidence of lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Project Energize
Waikato DHB has launched Energize (initially known as Activ8), a $2.3 million project to improve children's health. The project aims to improve activity and nutrition in children in a bid to reduce rates of obesity, bone fractures, bad teeth, asthma and hypertension. The two-year programme involves 130 schools – 65 will have an intensive programme of healthy lifestyles support and coaching, compared with 65 in the control group.
While Energize is a preventive programme, Bodywise is a treatment programme being run by Waikato DHB’s provider arm. Bodywise is a new approach to weight management for overweight or obese children between the ages of 5-12 years. The programme is a one-year pilot aiming to improve the long-term outcomes relating to weight management through a holistic family approach. The programme includes parent education covering nutrition, physical activity and lifestyle, and increasing children’s nutrition knowledge, level of involvement in physical activity and promoting greater self-esteem.
The Under 5s Healthy Heart Programme
The Under 5s Healthy Heart Programme is a new joint initiative between the Canterbury DHB, the Christchurch branch of the National Heart Foundation and the Rainbow Children’s Trust. Launched in June 2004, the programme has more than 80 participating pre-schools and playcentres in Canterbury. The programme encourages teachers, parents and caregivers to provide and promote healthy choices of physical activity and nutrition, and to teach the children to make their own healthy choices.
PHOs
PHOs are also involved in health promotion and prevention initiatives to reduce obesity, improve nutrition and increase physical activity.
Pinnacle Taranaki PHO and Sports Taranaki’s Have Fun, Get Fit holiday programme aims to reduce childhood obesity rates and convince children that healthy food and exercise are fun. The programme is free for children aged 8 to 13 years and includes a whole day of physical activity and the chance to learn about healthy eating, including meal preparation.
North Harbour PHO patients are being offered free trips to the local leisure centre as part of a local collaboration aimed at getting people moving. The Move For Health--Hikoi mo te Oranga programme involves weekly exercise and is aimed at people who do not participate in any form of exercise.
HealthWest PHO offers free or low cost visits to a nutritionist. Local GPs and practice nurses refer their patients to a local nutritionist for a free or subsidised consultation if needed.
Ta Pasefika PHO runs a programme focusing on obesity management. It includes initiatives such as helping families to purchase healthy food and teaching alternatives to the traditional ways of preparing food.