16 October 2009

National Nutrition Week - Get Healthy Line helping people to eat well

The NSW Government's Get Healthy Information and Coaching telephone service has received more than 4,000 calls since it was launched in February this year and almost 1,500 people have registered for the six-month coaching program the service offers.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Health, Carmel Tebbutt, said the figures showed people were keen to take action to improve their nutrition and general wellbeing, but sometimes needed help achieving those goals.

"Eating a nutritious and balanced diet including plenty of vegetables and fruits, and getting regular exercise, is important for everybody at every stage of life," Ms Tebbutt said.

"The number of callers the Get Healthy Line has received shows that people are taking this message to heart and taking steps to improve their health and wellbeing."

"The free Get Healthy Information and Coaching telephone service provides personal valuable advice on healthy eating and offers participants a six-month coaching program, where they can access their own qualified health coach who will help them set healthy lifestyle goals and support them by maintaining motivation to achieve results," Ms Tebbutt said.

The interest in the service is a positive step after last year's Report on Adult Health from the NSW Population Health Survey indicated that 90% of people weren't eating enough vegetables and were not getting the required amounts of nutrients.

Ms Tebbutt said services such as the Get Healthy Line were helping people turn around these bad dietary habits and providing much needed advice.

"Data from the Health Survey indicated that only around one in 10 adults were eating the recommended minimum of five serves of vegetables a day in 2008 and just over four in 10 adults consumed three or more serves of vegetables a day," Ms Tebbutt said.

"While the trends in the survey revealed people were becoming more conscious of eating well - there was a slight increase in the proportion of adults consuming the recommended minimum of five serves of vegetables a day (from 8.9% in 1997 to 10.2% in 2008) - the majority of people still need to eat more vegetables and fruit every day to ensure they are getting the required nutrition intake.

"Maintaining a nutritious and balanced diet, not only helps when it comes to obesity, but also prevents and reduces the risk of health conditions and diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, some cancers, type-two diabetes, osteoporosis, dental decay and gall bladder disease.

"National Nutrition Week is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the importance of a nutritious and balanced diet and to make the changes necessary in our daily life to achieve this," Ms Tebbutt said.

Access Economics has estimated the total cost of obesity alone in NSW to be $19 billion (with a financial cost of $2.7 billion and the net cost of wellbeing at $16.3 billion). Eating five serves of vegetables and two serves of fruit each day can help avoid these enormous costs to individuals, their families and the healthcare system.

The Get Healthy service can be accessed by calling 1300 806 258 or visiting the website www.gethealthynsw.com.au

For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au