 | Friday 27 January 2012
Families share their views on healthy eating
Minister for Health David Davis today hosted a roundtable of Victorian families at Parliament
House to share ideas on healthy eating.
Speaking at the Victorian consultation forum of the National Health and Medical Research
Council’s (NHMRC) Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, Mr Davis said he was delighted to
see so many parents and children taking a leading role in improving eating habits.
“It’s great that so many mums, dads and kids are here today with a keen interest in healthy
eating,” Mr Davis said.
“Their ideas will help shape Victoria’s input into the NHMRC’s Australian Dietary Guidelines
and Australian Guide to Healthy Eating which are being reviewed for the first time since 2003.
“With kids about to return to school, it’s a good time for us all to have this discussion about
healthy eating and healthy lunchboxes.
“The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating is designed for the general public and provides
serving sizes and recommended diets for various age and gender groups.”
The main changes so far proposed include strengthening guidelines relating to limiting
sweetened drinks, a small increase in recommended serve sizes of dairy and meat (young
females only), and a decrease in serve sizes for breads and cereals groups.
Mr Davis said the government was committed to encouraging all Victorians to live active and
healthy lifestyles and a good diet was critical.
“A healthy diet and exercise are the foundation of good health, so that is why the Coalition
Government is investing more than $40 million through the National Partnership on
Preventive Health in new prevention initiatives for children,” Mr Davis said.
“Among those initiatives is a new $3 million Healthy Eating Advisory Service which will
provide healthy eating and nutrition advice to early childhood services, primary and
secondary schools, as well as hospitals.
“The phone and internet based service will help schools implement canteen policies, early
childhood services to meet national standards and hospitals to implement food and drink
choices in their retail food service outlets.”
All Victorians can have their say via an online survey on Better Health Channel at
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/
Media contact: Kathryn McFarlane 0419 850 201Media Release Attachment - 120127_Davis_Families_share_their_views_on_healthy_eating.pdf [Word, 66428 Bytes]
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