WHAT IS A

HEALTY DIET?

A Healthy Diet is a balanced diet, one that helps maintain or improve health.

It is important for the prevention of many chronic health risks such as Obesity, heart disease and cancer.

What is a healthy balanced diet?

• A healthy diet is one that is balanced. This means eating the right amount of food for how active you are, and eating a range of food from five main food groups. These are:

• carbohydrates, which contain lots of energy and nutrients and are found in starchy foods, such as bread, pasta and potatoes

• protein, which helps with growth and repair and is found in meat, fish, beans and eggs

• fruit and vegetables• milk and dairy foods• foods that are high in fat and sugar• Carbohydrates should make up about one-third of your daily diet.

Fruit and vegetables should also make up about one-third. Split the remainder of your diet between protein and milk and dairy. Only a very small amount of what you eat every day should come from foods that are high in fat and sugar.

The Government is concerned about the levels of obesity in this country. The latest Health Survey for England (HSE) data shows us that nearly 1 in 4 adults, and over 1 in 10 children aged 2-10 are obese.

In 2007, the Government commissioned Foresight report predicted that if no action was taken, 60% of men, 50% of women and 25% of children would be obese by 2050.

Obesity can have a severe impact on people’s health, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and heart and liver disease.

There is also a significant burden on the NHS – direct costs caused by obesity are estimated to be £4.2 billion per year and forecast to more than double by 2050 if we carry on as we are. We want people to know that they can change their lifestyle and make a difference to their health.

The Government will provide clear, consistent messages on why people should change their lifestyle, how to do so, and put in place ways to make this easier. We will also work in partnership with local government, charities and business to reduce obesity.

Obesity

GOVERNMENT

INITATIVES

• Is a statutory scheme that provides a nutritional safety net for very low-income pregnant women and families with young children in a way that aims to encourage breastfeeding and healthy eating.

• Healthy Start vouchers, currently worth £3.10 each, can be put towards the cost of milk, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables or infant formula milk. Around 2.7 million vouchers are now issued every four weeks to over 450,000 families. They are accepted by over 17,500 retail businesses, which have almost 30,000 individual retail outlets between them.

• The vouchers make a contribution to the costs of milk, fresh fruit and fresh vegetables for the most nutritionally vulnerable women and young children. To increase their impact. PH are now exploring whether they can also allow beneficiaries to spend their vouchers on plain frozen fruit and vegetables.

• Beneficiaries and retails do abuse the system by spending and accepting vouchers that are not included in the scheme.

• Website http://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/

• Change4Life is England’s first ever national social marketing campaign to promote healthy weight. It aims to prevent people from becoming overweight by encouraging them to eat well, move more and live longer.

• The campaign aims to inspire a societal movement in which everyone who has an interest in preventing obesity, be they Government, business, healthcare professionals, charities, schools, families or individuals, can play their part.

• http://www.nhs.uk/Change4Life/Pages/change-for-life.aspx

Eat Well Move More Live Longer

National Child Measurement Programme

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/childhealth1-5/Pages/ChildMeasurement.aspx

• Is a programme to measure the height and weight of all children in Reception and year 6. The information is used to help the NHS and local authorities plan and provide better health services for children.

• Sharing a child’s results with the parents gives them the information they need to make the best possible decisions about their child’s health.

• PH are encouraging PCTs to invite parents and carers of children identified as underweight, overweight or obese to take up an offer of advice or support.

Mind, Exercise, Nutrition….Do it!Fitter, Healthier, Happier Families

• Mend 7-13 is a fun course for families with children aged 7 to 13 whose weight is above the healthy range for their age and height. It runs twice a week after school in tow-hour sessions over 10 weeks.

• The programme helps children and families manage their weight better and lead healthier lives. It was developed by child health experts. With the support of their parents or carers, children learn how to improve their health, fitness and the way they feel about their bodies.

• It teaches about nutrition, how to eat a balanced diet, how to be more active and learn some clever mind tricks to help keep up motivation.

• The programme is FREE ( funding partners include, Big Lottery Fund, Britvic, Bromley Mytime, FitPro, Legal and General, Nutricia, Sainsbury’s, Sport England, Youth Sport Trust and the National Sports Foundation).

• http://www.mendcentral.org/

F O O D

D I A R I E S

CATHERINEThursdayCornflakes (with sugar)Chicken, mash potatoes, sweetcornParty Food (pringles, sausage rolls, veg spring rolls, chicken satay, dips, dips, dips, red/yellow/orange

peppers, carrot sticksFridayNo BreakfastBacon sandwichAsparagus and Leek Pie, roast potatoes, carrots, broccoli, sweetcornSaturdayCornflakes (with sugar)No LunchDinner outSalmon fillet, new potatoes, green beans in a cream sauceChocolate and cream dessertCrips, peanuts, veggie crispsSundayCornflakes (with sugar)Roast chicken, roast potatoes, swede, parsnips, sweet potatoes, carrots, MondayCornflakes (with sugar)Full English BreakfastChocolate barChinese takeaway, shredded chicken chow mien, egg fried rice, sweet and sour sauce chips