March 2004
I recently bought a pedometer from Diabetes NZ and have become obsessive about
how many steps I do a day. It really works as an activity motivator for me. If I
am a bit low on steps I get off the bus a stop or two early or take the long way
round to get to where I am going. Even using the stairs seems more appealing
when you get the reward of extra steps registered. 10,000 steps a day would be
quite a lot for many people you have to make the effort to go for a decent walk.
I do it as part of my commute to work. When my step count is high at the end of
the day I feel terribly pleased with myself.
I suppose the novelty will wear off soon but when it does the pedometer won't be
gathering dust, friends and family are queuing up to borrow it. It is such a
simple idea and so easy to set realistic, measurable targets.
Contract News
We are still awaiting the consultation/guideline document from the Ministry
of Health regarding the report on contracts. I went to a meeting on Friday where
Karen Poutasi said it would be another month before the guideline document would
be circulated. We will be given 2 months to comment on it.
Until this advocacy/lobbying situation has been resolved the Ministry has
advised us not to communicate with politicians using Ministry of Health funding.
Karen Poutasi has indicated we are free to lobby politicians as long as we do
not use Ministry funding. It is possible this will always be the case. At this
stage membership fees are the only source of independent funding we could use
for lobbying and they are pretty minimal. The bulk of our funding comes from our
Ministry contract.
It is my belief that if we are to achieve major social policy changes which will
make a difference to the incidence of obesity we must get political support.
Without ministerial direction most departments and ministries will continue to
see obesity as a health sector responsibility and will do nothing to ensure
their policies do not promote or support the obesogenic environment. The health
sector will not solve obesity on its own, the cooperation and commitment from
others, especially those in government, is essential.
Access to independent funding would give us the opportunity to approach
politicians, keep them informed of the facts about obesity and promote the
importance of healthy public policy. At present industry is completely free to
lobby MPs and is very busy doing so. The few politicians I did get to see before
this all happened had all been visited by various industry interests. We must
have the same access to politicians to counter any biased arguments industry
might present.
We have deliberately kept the membership fee low as we do not want the
membership fee to be a barrier to any organisation joining OAC. We are
especially keen that community groups are able to afford membership. We can get
political support from people lobbying their MPs locally too. However we are
aware many organisations can afford much more than $50. If your organisation is
able to make a more substantial contribution to OAC to support the very
important political advocacy work we need to do, please do so.
I will be sending out invoices for your 2004-05 membership in the near future if
you can afford more than the membership fee please make a donation.
Seminar Day
We have decided to hold a seminar day in Wellington on 17 June for Coalition
members. We will also hold the AGM that day. We are very keen to get input from
you on how we can more effectively work together at a national and local level.
The plan at this stage is to have some speakers and some workshop time. The
focus of one of the sessions will be schools, the possibilities for other
sessions at this stage are working with local government, activity friendly
environments, advertising and/or physical activity. We may even divide into
groups on each of these issues to try and extract and use all the knowledge and
experience we can access.
I really don't have any idea how many of you will be able to come and therefore
what size of venue to I should book. Id be grateful if you could send me an
email indicating how many people from your organisation might be able to attend.
I will get a programme together as soon as I can. At this stage I am just
looking for ball park figures of how many people might be interested. Please let
me know as soon as you can so I can get on with planning for it.
We will keep the cost as low as possible maybe even free but of course you would
have to pay your own way to get here.
Interesting reading
Consumer magazine published an article on obesity in the March issue and it
is available online at www.consumer.org.nz
- you have to pay for the article but it is good. It discusses many of the
environmental issues and what might be done about them. Consumers Institute is a
member of OAC.
Obesity A communicable Disease
Tim Lobstein of the International Obesity Task Force wrote an interesting
article in the Consumer Policy Review, a magazine published by the ConsumersAssn
in Britain.
In the article he describes obesity and its consequences as communicable
diseases. He says;
The diseases are communicated not by bacterial or viral vector, but socially,
through language, image, behaviour, role modelling, cultural icons, mass media
and social norms and expectations. & Both sides of the energy equation,
input and output are profoundly affected by the individuals social environment.
The environment continually communicates the availability of high-energy foods
and repeatedly offers machines to replace energy-demanding tasks.&
Obesity is communicated from parents to children through many potential
obesogens from the choices available at breakfast, the transport to school, the
contents of the lunchbox, the weekend activities, the rules on eating sweets or
the presence of TVs in bedrooms.
Obesogenicity is also communicated between food producers and consumers. Foods
are heavily advertised &. And the types of foods in these advertisements are
fatty, sugary foods rather than fresh fruit or unsweetened milk&. Food companies
use attractive packaging to encourage purchases, including cartoon characters,
competitions and gifts. Again these promotional techniques are commonly used
with sugary fatty foods and rarely with the healthier options. Companies also
rely on processing aids, such as food colour and flavour additives to enhance
the attractiveness of their products. And food companies also see the school as
an arena for marketing, not just the sale of products through vending machines
and dinner halls but through direct advertising in exercise books, and
educational material as well as offering vouchers with snacks and sweets to
subsidise books or sports equipment.
Health Promoting Schools
I met with the co-ordinators of Health Promoting Schools recently and was
really encouraged to hear of some of the work going in schools. I was impressed
with the story of Bream Bay School (attached). It is a really creative way of
improving food in the school and making money for the school. For more success
stories from Health Promoting Schools check out
www.hps.org.nz
Schools which become a Health Promoting School don't always choose to make
nutrition and physical activity the focus mental health, smoking, sexual health
or the well being of the teachers might take precedence. I would hope that if
nutrition and physical activity aren't high on the priority list initially that
eventually someone must ask what a Health Promoting School is doing serving
chips, soft drinks etc.
Coca Cola Guidelines
I hope you all received the commentary on the Cocoa Cola School Guidelines.
Please share them with your local schools and any parent groups with which you
have contact. I have sent copies to the Principals Federation, Board of Trustees
Association, NZ Parent Teacher Assn and Ministry of Education. If you didn't get
them please let me know and Ill send them again.
More on Schools
Please keep on working with your local schools.
I went to visit Porirua College recently where Nicola Potts has done some really
good work. The school has developed a Food and Nutrition Policy, new cafe
contractors are serving healthier foods, soft drinks and sweets are no longer
being sold. Fundraising choc bars are not to be sold on the school grounds.
Nicola hopes to make more changes gradually. The more people I speak to the more
I realise that many of these changes have to be done bit by bit. I guess the
advice is a bit like the advice about dieting don't turn your life upside down
all at once gradual changes are more likely to be sustainable.
I was talking with a primary school teacher who has recently started teaching
in a private school where the religious beliefs of those who attend the school
forbids television, computers and any of the other usual media advertising
vectors. She says the absence of obese kids is really noticeable. She is used to
having obese and overweight kids in her classes but there are none in these
classes. It is a very small sample and the observation only anecdotal but it is
interesting. My guess the difference comes from a combination of effects -
limited exposure to advertising, different peer pressures (not those driven by
advertisers) and more physical activity.
Tim Lobstein quotes US data in his paper which shows that children with TVs in
their bedrooms are at greater risk of being overweight than children without TVs
of their own.
Overseas News
In the US the FDA is making recommendations to food manufacturers re labelling
of calorie information and portion size.
http://www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/obesity/
In Britain the Foods Standards Agency has developed an Action Plan for childhood
obesity.
http://www.food.gov.uk/news/pressreleases/postboardpromopress
New Members
The Coalition is now 70 strong. Welcome to Northland DHB, Living Streets
Aotearoa, TaPasefika Health and HETTANZ.
Our constitution doesn't allow individual membership, it is restricted to
not-for-profit organisations who share our aims, but we are pleased to have the
support. If you are one of our individual supporters and belong to an
organisation that could belong to the Coalition please consider getting your
organisation to join. The membership fee is $50 for voting members and $30 for
participating members.
Sharing Information
If you are the contact person for your organisation please make sure others
you work with get the newsletter. Please make sure you share this information it
is only way the Coalition will work effectively.
Help
I would love to hear from you if you have something you think I should know,
you are doing something really great in your area that would be useful for
others or something you think others might be able to help you with please get
in touch with me. I have only one set of eyes and ears and just cant notice and
know of everything that is going on please help to keep me informed and let me
know what you think.
Thanks
Best Wishes
Celia Murphy
Executive Director
Obesity Action Coalition
PO Box 12115
Room 208/ 95 -99 Molesworth St
Wellington
Ph: 04 473 8031
Fax: 04 473 8032
Mb: 021 232 7519
CASE STUDY – BREAM BAY COLLEGE
Bream Bay College is situated in the “Village” of Ruakaka, south of Whangarei and brings together a unique combination of communities – Waipu, One Tree Point, Takahiwai, Mata, Springfield and on the other side of the harbour “Whangarei Heads”. Its communities Maori and Scottish heritage is evident throughout the school. Bream Bay College has a roll of 500 students, a decile rating of 5 and an ethnic composition of 31% Maori and 69% European.
To establish a Health Promoting Café, operating as a student enterprise and offering for sale a range of healthy food options to students and staff.
THE PROCESS
Due to participating in the Health Promoting School Pilot Project here in Northland the process of identifying this as a priority issue was an easy one. In terms of addressing needs of the whole school community it was imperative action was taken. Food choices being sold to students and staff were limited and predominately fatty, sweet or fizzy.
Ginny Gardner, BBC Health Coordinator, in consultation with school management, the HPS team and students proposed to operate the café with a student manager who would study units of learning in Hospitality. She would seek support from health professionals and resource people in their local community.
The Principal, fully supported the idea and took it to the BOT who requested a business plan be drawn up. With the help of the HPS project coordinator and the student Young Enterprise class this was done and presented to the BOT to gain their support and approval to:
Operate the CAFÉ as a student enterprise.
Secure sustainable position for student learning to take place.
Further develop the business.
Make healthy foods available at affordable prices.
A student manager was identified, Hope Lawrence, and Ginny Gardner arranged for Hope to study units of learning in Hospitality.
The student Young Enterprise class established a vision for this new business venture.
To expand seating and eating facilities into a shaded landscaped area close to the CAFÉ.
To establish and sustain a student enterprise enabling students to operate the CAFÉ as a business in a learning environment.
To increase the range of healthy food options.
To develop a student enterprise model within the HPS framework.
To become the preferred choice by staff, students and families.
The café would operate Monday to Friday for morning tea and lunch to students and staff and would operate a breakfast club (need identified through a specific needs survey conducted within the school).
Students would work alongside Hope and money raised would go towards their planned trip to a sister school in Japan later in the year.
The CAFÉ linked with the wider school: - Student Council, Business & Legal Studies, Graphics/Signage, Landscape Design, Fundraiser, Office Accountant, Enterprise Studies, Food Technology, Hospitality, Breakfast Club, Bluey Awards and Heartbeat Awards.
Qualifications gained by the student manager: - HIS Level One Hospitality, Kiwi Host and 6th Form Certificate Subjects. Skills accumulated on the job: - Business Management, Managing Money, Stock Management, Personnel Management and working with Food.
IMPLEMENTATION
At the beginning of 1999 the plan was put into place, the school based food service became Bream Bay Colleges Health Promoting CAFÉ (Caring And Friendly Environment) and Hope launched into her new role as Manager with great enthusiasm.
RESULTS and BENEFITS
Established a school based food service that is convenient, dependable on providing variety, choice, healthy options, and can offer a balanced diet at competitive prices.
Upgraded building and facilities with established Health & Safety procedures.
New signage advertising the CAFÉ as a Health Promoting food service.
Established the first student managed school food service in New Zealand.
Provided a student with the opportunity to learn, experience and gain formal qualifications in a real life situation within a learning environment.
Students of this school have been empowered.
Students were able to utilise this business venture for the Student Young Enterprise Scheme.
Students were able to work in the CAFÉ as a fundraiser to visit a sister school in Japan.
The CAFÉ made a profit to further upgrading and development.
A School Food and Nutrition Policy was developed.
A Heartbeat Award was successfully attained.