Healthy Eating, Healthy Action - HEHA

What is Healthy Eating, Healthy Action?

HEHA is the government’s integrated nutrition, physical activity and obesity strategy. It has three key goals: improving nutrition increasing physical activity; and reducing obesity.

Education - Nutrition Fund Breastfeeding Maori Pacific Vibrant Living Get Cooking

WHY do we need to take action?

Our bodies are shaped by what we eat and what we do.  New Zealanders are becoming increasingly overweight and obese.  Health problems resulting from poor nutrition, lack of physical activity and obesity include:

• diabetes
• cardiovascular disease
• some cancers.
  

Delay in addressing these issues now will lead to further demand for health services in the future.

HOW to 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.

WHO is taking action?

Many players are working on the 87 actions of the HEHA Implementation Plan, including:

• Ministry of Health
• District Health Board (DHB’s)
• Ministry of Education; and
• SPARC (Sport and Recreation New Zealand).

Other government organisations, industry, and non-government organisations are also important players.

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HEHA in the Waikato DHB area

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.

General enquiries about the Waikato HEHA project can be emailed to Janet: HanveyJ@waikatodhb.govt.nz.

Waikato DHB HEHA structure 

Waikato 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 stakeholders 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.

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HEHA news

• More funding to improve children’s nutrition
  
• Breast is best at Westfield Chartwell
• South Waikato schools working together to tackle obesity
  
• Funding for healthier schools
• The truth about kids snacks

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