Celebrating young people's healthy outlook.

Young people are making a real difference to their and their whanau's health.

---------------------------------

"We need to celebrate the leadership being shown by young people who are making positive changes to their health and encouraging others to adopt life-long healthy lifestyles through good nutrition and increasing their physical activity," says Youth Minister Nanaia Mahuta.

The Minister was endorsing comments made by Health Minister Pete Hodgson at Mansell Senior School where he thanked the school and community for their help in encouraging healthy active lifestyles.

"I have been very impressed with the positive changes young people are choosing to make to their own lives, and the leadership they are showing to encourage change within their families and their communities," says Nanaia Mahuta.

"It's great to see this government's investment in young people and their health is paying off."

The Minister says, "This Labour-led government invested $76 million in last year's budget and a further $50.7 million in Budget 2007 in the Healthy Eating-Healthy Action: Oranga Kai-Oranga Pumau campaign, which aims to improve nutrition and increase physical activity.

"On top of this we've invested $67 million in "Mission On", a package of government initiatives to help young people improve their nutrition and be more active.

"We're working hard to improve the health of New Zealanders with this and other initiatives like the Fruit in Schools programme, removing full sugar fizzy and energy drinks from secondary schools by 2009, and helping parents with practical advice on how to achieve healthy diets for children."

Studies show that even small changes in nutrition and physical activity can make a significant difference in people's health over time.

"Too often discussions about youth focus on negative risk-taking behaviour.  Let's celebrate instead the positive steps these young people have made to make a real difference to their and their whanau's health," says Nanaia Mahuta.

Further information

The government is working to improve our nutrition and increase our physical activity by:

February 2006
� 27,000 primary school children took part in the Fruit in Schools programme. The programme is part of a wider strategy to help students and their communities and families adopt healthy lifestyles.

May 2006
� $76 million over four years announced in Budget 2006 to fund the largest campaign to fight obesity in New Zealand's history.

� The Editorial of the Lancet notes that NZ is setting the agenda to combat obesity.

July 2006
� Interim research evaluation of the Fruit in Schools programme report students are showing a more positive attitude to healthy food and are being more physically active.

September 2006
� The launch of Mission On- a $67 million package focusing on healthy, active young New Zealanders. This includes new guidelines for food served in schools, a major social marketing campaign and changes for the marketing of food to children.

� Auckland school students presented their views and their solutions for the issue in a workshop with Health Ministers from 43 countries at the WHO Western Pacific regional meeting.

October 2006
� Additional $800,000 investment from the Healthy Eating, Healthy Action Innovation Fund for four new projects to fight obesity at a DHB level. The projects include family activities and smart eating programmes and joins the 16 DHB project started in 2005.

� The Fruit in Schools programme is extended to 154 new primary schools to more than double the programme's size to 268 primary schools and 57,000 students.

� The Cancer Society and Foodstuffs' LiveSmart campaign in 129 New World supermarkets targets the one in two New Zealand adults who do not eat the recommended five plus a day servings of vegetables and fruit.

December 2006
� A voluntary agreement agreed between the government, Coca-Cola Amatil NZ and Frucor Beverages Ltd to remove full sugar fizzy and energy drinks from secondary schools by 2009.

May 2007
� A voluntary agreement with major television broadcasters on a new five-point plan aimed at improving food advertising to children

May 2007
� The launch of the social marketing campaign "Feeding Our Futures" which helps parents and caregivers with practical advice on how to achieve healthy diets for children.
www.feedingourfutures.org.nz/

Budget 2007
� A further $50.7 million over four year to implement Healthy Eating Healthy Action initiatives.