NLIS 3
March 24, 2005
(Health and Community Services)
The following was issued today by John
Ottenheimer, Minister of Health and Community Services. It was also read in the
House of Assembly:
Nutrition month celebrates
wellness
In recognition of Nutrition Month, I rise today
to talk about and acknowledge something our government is taking very seriously
� the health and wellness of our citizens.
Recent health indicators show our province leads Canada in obesity, smoking
rates and lack of physical exercise. In addition, we have among the highest
rates of childhood-onset diabetes and cardiac disease � chronic diseases that
can be prevented and better managed through healthy and active living. The time
has come to take back control of our own individual health.
That�s why government has dedicated $2.4 million for wellness initiatives in
Budget 2005. This represents the single largest investment in health promotion
in the history of the province. Just like the 3 Rs are the foundation for
life-long learning; prevention, promotion and public health are critical to
better health outcomes and keeping people healthy.
Building upon government�s Throne Speech commitment to keep people healthier,
this spring government will unveil a wellness strategy to complement the
on-going work of community organizations and the six regional wellness
coalitions including programs like Moving for Seniors which promotes healthy
aging for our seniors, or the Restaurant Heart Smart Program, launched with the
Heart and Stroke Foundation to encourage healthier food choices.
Acting on the recommendations of the provincial Wellness Advisory Council, our
wellness strategy will concentrate on improving healthy eating, reducing
obesity, reducing smoking rates, reducing injury rates and increasing physical
activity. These are all important in the prevention of chronic illnesses such as
stroke, osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease and some forms of cancer.
As a government, we can and we will provide the tools for people to become
better equipped to lead healthier lives. We plan to implement a Healthy Foods in
Schools program including new nutrition guidelines for schools and a Healthy
Schools Youth Summit in the fall; establish a community grants program to build
on existing community wellness projects; enhance school food programs to improve
healthy eating; develop a social marketing campaign to promote healthy living,
create a Teen Wellness team to engage the participation of youth and strengthen
the presence of wellness-dedicated staff in the new health authorities.
Today, I would like to issue a challenge to everyone to infuse a healthy culture
in all areas of community life � in our families, in our schools, and in our
workplaces. We all have the power to take real action to improve our health. I
encourage people to look for opportunities each and every day to make an
improvement in their own health.
2005 03 24
1:55 p.m. |