Listen
Healthy eating and active living
22/06/2008
A new action plan targeting obesity, poor diet and the promotion of physical exercise was launched today with an additional £40 million pounds of new funding to be provided over the next three years.
The plan will have a focus on tackling health inequalities through targeted healthy living initiatives to fit into different lifestyle demands.
- For early years, half of the new resources (£19 million) will be used over the next three years to improve nutrition of women of child bearing age, pregnant woman and children under 5 in disadvantaged areas
- For children and young adults at school, sports, dance, walking and healthy cooking projects will be opened up to engage young people in healthy living activities
- For workplaces, adults will benefit from interactive workplace tools which allow employees to keep track of any changes in their own weight and receive health advice
- For older people, new nutritional standards will be developed for care settings
- For communities, walking and jogging schemes will be expanded
- In partnership with Cosla, Community Healthy Weight Programmes will be led by local community champions bringing together existing healthy living schemes involving all sectors of the community
- Business communities will be incentivised to improve the supply and provision of healthier food choices, focusing on fresh produce in local neighbourhood shops particularly in low income areas and national Healthy Living Awards for retailers who provide good quality, nutritious food options
- Across Scotland, spending on physical activity projects will double to £12 million
Public Health Minister Shona Robison said:
"Obesity is one of the problems that, like climate change, does not have a simple solution and requires a new way of thinking.
"If we successfully tackle obesity then we will reduce ill-health, and a healthier Scotland is vital for sustaining and growing our economy and securing our communities as vibrant places to live. This is about providing people with more opportunity to take control of their own health.
"Governments and other stakeholders therefore have a crucial role to play in helping to create environments which support us all to maintain a healthy weight and be more active in our daily lives and therefore enjoy life to full.
"We want to ensure that everyone can benefit from the initiatives we are announcing today in our action plan. In particular we have also focused additional effort and resources for providing young children which every opportunity to start their lives in the most healthy ways.
"Mums, babies and toddlers will benefit from better support to ensure they can improve their own and their children's nutrition as well as projects which make active play fun.
"The Scottish Government is clear that people need to be supported in order to make their own healthy choices and this action plan gives Scotland the framework for doing so."
Underpinning the action plan is a commitment to publish guidance for health boards on locally delivered Healthy Weight Strategies by the end of this year and to develop a longer term strategy to tackle obesity.
The Action Plan - 'Healthy Eating, Active Living; An Action Plan To Improve Diet, Increase Physical Activity and Tackle Obesity - will be available online on Monday at www.scotland.gov.uk/publications