Health district promoting healthy living
By Tanya Collier Macdonald
Cape Breton Post Front page
Thurs., May 20, 2004
SYDNEY - Drop that french fry and start
walking, Cape Breton.
Three new healthy initiatives
are coming, via the Cape
Breton District Health Authority
now that it has its hands on
$330,000 in government funding
aimed at promoting better
health on the island.
The first is to develop plans
and policies that promote
improved nutrition at schools
and workplaces through the project
Healthy Food Choices.
The second
will be to
expand an
already successful
Communities in
Motion project
currently
delivered by
the district's
community health boards.
The final initiative is Building Healthier Communities,
a project that will put community
health plans into action with
help from the district's staff
and public health services.
Health Promotion Minister
Rodney MacDonald made the
funding announcement in Sydney,
Wednesday. He said the
island's health challenges,
including high levels of chronic
illness, have been
researched and studied enough.
"This is about moving forward into the future."
Three levels of government fund projects
The funding is part of a $71-million cost-share agreement
among the three levels of government for efforts to cleanup
the Sydney tar ponds and coke ovens sites.
Most of that money has already been spent on
projects already completed.
Frank Potter, director of
operations for the provincial
Sydney Tar Ponds Agency,
said discussions with the
island's health community
encouraged governments to
spend the remnants of the
cost-share agreement on
strategies for health promotion.
"We need to look forward
and promote healthy
lifestyles."
The Cape Breton district is
currently ranked the
unhealthiest in Nova Scotia.
John Malcom, its chief executive
officer, said he hopes to
turn that statistic around and
make island residents the
healthiest in the province
within five years.
"It's really a significant
challenge," he said.
However, residents know
what changes are needed. Malcom
said communities have to
raise the importance of
healthier eating and healthier
communities. Surveys conducted
by the district show
only 18 per cent of the population
has five servings of fruits
and vegetables a day. And 48
per cent of those asked consume
fruits and vegetables
less than twice a day.
Promoting public policies
for healthier eating is also
essential, he said. The Cape
Breton Regional Hospital cafeteria
once cooked 25 cases of
french fries a week. That
amount has dropped to two.
Comparatively, the cafeteria
once purchased about three
buckets of fruit each week.
That amount has since
increased to 25 buckets.
Food insecurity is also a
factor, said Malcom. Twenty-two
per cent of residents surveyed
said it's too costly to eat
properly - especially those
earning minimum wage.
As far as getting communities
on the move, Malcom said
Margaree residents are a good
example of what can be
accomplished. It now has
about 100 members taking
part in tai chi each week.
Mary Daly, public health
nutritionist, said she's excited
about the upcoming initiatives,
expected to be implemented
within the next 12 to
18 months. She said the district
has limited resources
when it comes to health promotion
and the new funding
should help relieve that strain.
tcmacdonald@cbpost.com
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