Presentation to Joint Oireachtas
Committee on Health and
Children, November 2012
About the NHF
• Established in 2005
• Innovative multi-stakeholder approach
– obesity is everyone’s responsibility
• Focus on positive balanced messaging
• Bringing together those with interest in
healthy lifestyle promotion i.e. diet and
exercise
NHF multi-stakeholder membership
25
21
20
15
14
Food & Beverage Industry
Non industry partners
10
5
0
Food & Beverage Industry
Non industry partners
NHF Mission & Objectives
Mission: communicate evidence based
information on nutrition, health & physical activity
to encourage an improved and healthier society
in Ireland
Objectives: promote a healthy Ireland through:
• Consumer Understanding – research projects
• Communication – initiatives based on research
• Working with Government/Non-Government
• Further development of the NHF – greater
representation via companies & organisations
Obesity
The Cause: A Great Debate
(Some examples only)
• Parenting practices
& behaviour
Physical inactivity
• Marketing/Advertising
Healthy vs. Unhealthy food
• TV/computers/games
choices
• The food industry
Eating behaviours
• Inexpensive “unhealthy”
food vs. expensive “healthy”
Food behaviours
food
At home vs. away from home • The environment
Genetics
• Individual responsibility
• Lack of sleep
Community design
• Energy balance: calories in/out
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• Automobile culture
No single cause – everyone needs to be involved and working together
Why are we here? (1)
• Childhood obesity & its prevention
• Foetal origins of disease – key in
development of diseases in adulthood
• Support of NHF and its multi-stakeholder
approach in helping to address obesity using
evidence based information.
Who to prioritise in relation to childhood
obesity? (1)
• Pregnant women
– Foetal origins of disease & the first 1000
days of life; most important
– Weight gain, breastfeeding & weaning
practices
– Opportunity at first GP presentation
Who to prioritise in relation to
childhood obesity? (2)
• Children
– Need good nutrition & physical activity normalised
– Healthy eating guidelines for preschools and schools
should made compulsory
– Healthy lifestyle initiatives should be made
compulsory
– NHF & RAI
–
with the
Other NHF activities
• NHF annual seminar:examines role of
public & private sectors in tackling obesity
– Thought leadership; national & international
speakers, food and beverage industry, NGOs
on work in nutrition, lifestyle & physical activity
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Workplace wellbeing Campaign
Eat Smart Week – healthy eating week
Move Smart Week – physical activity week
Nutrition guide & diary for the teenage
Camogie player
Multi-stakeholder approach
• many other influences play a role in
prevention & management of
overweight & obesity
– government departments, education, food &
beverage industry, sectors responsible for
physical environments, social & community
sectors
– A coordinated approach across all sectors
and Government departments is required.