Healthy Action highlights Nutrition Messages

Press Release
Thursday 24 June 2004

Healthy Eating – Healthy Action highlights need to promote Nutrition Messages

Agencies for Nutrition Action (ANA) supports the Healthy Eating - Healthy Action Implementation Plan, which is being launched today by the Minister of Health.

The plan prioritises the communication of credible and consistent nutrition messages based on the Ministry of Health’s Food and Nutrition Guidelines. ANA members, including the Heart Foundation, the Cancer Society of New Zealand, Diabetes New Zealand, the New Zealand Nutrition Foundation, the New Zealand Dietetic Association, Te Hotu Manawa Maori, the Pacific Island Food and Nutrition Action Group and the Home Economic Teachers Association, have been increasingly concerned about the confusion that surrounds food and nutrition. Food and nutrition misinformation can have harmful effects on the health status of people.

Carolyn Watts, Chairperson for ANA, says, “this plan calls for an over-arching framework to communicate to the public the scientifically based, unbiased nutrition messages stated in the Ministry of Health’s Food and Nutrition Guidelines”.

ANA believes that the best way to encourage a healthy lifestyle is to promote enjoyment from eating a wide variety of foods based on these guidelines and getting out and being physically active.

“The challenge now is to secure funding for a communications strategy to counteract the misinformation that exists so people can base their decisions about the foods they eat on sound nutrition information”, Ms Watts says.

ENDS

Agencies for Nutrition Action are a coalition group of nutrition and physical activity organisations including the Cancer Society, the National Heart Foundation of NZ, Diabetes NZ, NZ Nutrition Foundation, NZ Dietetic Association, Te Hotu Manawa Maori, Pacific Island Food and Nutrition Action Group, the Home Economics and Technology Teachers Association NZ and the NZ Recreation Association. The Ministry of Health and Sport and Recreation NZ are observer members.

Agencies for Nutrition Action mission is for its members to work together to support New Zealanders to achieve and maintain a healthy weight throughout life through good nutrition and physical activity. It promotes healthy lifestyles and environments. The promotion of consistent messages about the importance of healthy eating and physical activity for length and quality of life is a key objective for ANA.

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