Healthy Eating - Healthy Action

 

• What is HEHA?
• Ways you can take action
• HEHA at Waikato DHB
• Other resources

 

Education

Breastfeeding

Maori

Pacific

Get Cooking

Vibrant Living

 

 

What is HEHA?

HEHA is the government’s integrated nutrition, physical activity and obesity strategy.

It has three key goals:

1. improving nutrition
2. increasing physical activity; and
3. reducing obesity.

Our bodies are shaped by what we eat and what we do. Poor nutrition and lack of physical activity can lead to health problems such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

Delay in addressing these issues now will lead to further demand for health services in the future. A number of organisations are working together to achieve the HEHA Implementation Plan actions, including:

• Ministry of Health
• District health boards
• Ministry of Education; and
• SPARC (Sport and Recreation New Zealand).

District health boards have been contracted by the Ministry of Health to lead the implementation of the plan for their district. Other government organisations, industry, and non-government organisations are also important players in helping HEHA to achieve its goals.

Access to resources and information on work being done across New Zealand can be found on the HEHA Network.

Other useful links:

• Ministry of Health - Healthy Eating Healthy Action
• Sport Waikato

Ways you can take action

• Eat a variety of nutritious foods
• Eat less fatty, salty and sugary foods
• Eat more vegetables and fruit
• Fully breastfeed infants for at least six months
• Be active every day for at least 30 minutes in as many ways as possible
• Add some vigorous exercise for extra benefit and fitness
• Aim to maintain a healthy weight throughout life
• Promote and foster the development of environments that support healthy lifestyles.

At Waikato DHB

Waikato DHB’s focus for HEHA is on the Nutrition Fund, breastfeeding and development of community action projects for Maori and Pacific.

Janet Hanvey is the Waikato DHB project director for HEHA. Her role is to work with different stakeholders in the Waikato region to develop plans, provide support and co-ordinate programmes to implement the HEHA objectives.

Enquiries about the Waikato HEHA project can be emailed to Janet Hanvey, project director.

Waikato DHB HEHA structure

HEHA steering group

The Waikato HEHA Steering Group advises on planning, prioritising, funding and monitoring HEHA initiatives in the Waikato District. The group has a leadership role in implementing HEHA initiatives.

Their role is to facilitate and co-ordinate the work of stakeholder agencies, including the DHB, PHOs, NGOs, education organisations, Sport Waikato, local government, central government agencies, and communities in implementing the HEHA District Plan.
 
The group also:

• provide guidance, advice and support to the Waikato HEHA project director
• ensures the Waikato District HEHA Plan meets the needs of the Waikato population and the requirements of the Ministry of Health
• approves and oversees the implementation of the Waikato District HEHA Plan.
  

HEHA stakeholder group

The Waikato District HEHA Stakeholder Group provides advice and support to the HEHA Steering Group.

The role of the stakeholder group is to support and provides advice on the delivery of a number of objectives including:

• guidance, advice and support to the HEHA Steering Group via the Waikato DHB HEHA project director
• looking for opportunities to collaborate to deliver services to Waikato communities which support achievement of the strategy outcomes
• promoting HEHA messages to their communities and existing networks.
  

News and other resources

• Supporting breakfast clubs in Waikato secondary schools
  
• Healthy fundraising ideas
• Breast is best at Westfield Chartwell
• The truth about kids snacks
• Healthy Kai Catering Guidelines - May 2010
• Pacific communities working to improve their health - May 2010