The nutrition fund is open to all schools, early childhood centres, kura kaupapa, kohanga reo and language nests. Priority will be given to first-time applicants and applications identifying health needs and focusing on improving outcomes for Maaori, Pasifika and low income groups in your school or centre.
HeartBeat Challenge Award Renewed
Geraint Martin, CEO of CMDHB recieved the renewed HeartBeat Challenge Award from Auckland Regional Public Health Project Manager, Judy Montgomery. The award follows four years of commitment to establishing and sustaining a healthy workplace environment and represents solid and successful work including positive outcomes from the smoking cessation programme, completion of the Middlemore walkway and negotiations with vendor/providers.
Nga Wahine Atawhai o Matukutureia Recipe Book launched
At the Civic Centre reception held at Manukau City Council on 1 November, 2008 a recipe book was launched by King Tuheitia Paki and his wife Te Atawhai in a lead up to the annual national conference for the Maori Women’s Welfare League.
The Tamaki Makarau region hosted the conference and a local Manurewa branch, Nga Wahine Atawhai o Matukutureia, developed their branch recipe book for the occasion in conjunction with the Let’s Beat Diabetes Programme. The book focuses on healthy recipes for Maori families. All the recipes have been rigorously checked by a qualified dietitian and in some cases amended to make them healthier. According to Bernard Te Paa, General Manager Maaori for the Counties Manukau District Health Board, the cookbook is a proud addition into local kitchens. “Our whanau will have more confidence knowing that they are cooking food we love which is good for us.”
Sir Barry Curtis 10k Classic Run, 19 October, 2008
Run it ~Walk it ~Participate ~Have fun! Come and join the CMDHB Lets Beat Diabetes team at the
2008 Sir Barry Curtis Fun Run, Sunday 19 October. CMDHB and Let’s Beat Diabetes will be putting in a team promoting healthy exercise.
Mangere Community Food Forest Gardens Working Launch 14th November
Members of the Mangere community and surrounding communities are invited to celebrate in and join in the planting, digging and constructing of the Mangere Community Food Forest Gardens on the Friday 14 November 2008 10am to 2pm at Mangere Community Food Forest Garden, 12 Waddon Place, Mangere (beside the Anglican Maori Church). The Food Forest garden will be a permanent garden for the Mangere community.
Full media release
Call to Employers, Churches, Marae to Support Healthy Lifestyles
CMDHB - July 2007
There’s been a plea for community institutions to support their members and workers who want to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
A public health physician, Tom Robinson of the Counties-Manukau District Health Board, told the Public Health Conference in Auckland today that for individuals to swap a sedentary and high fat food lifestyle, they need the backing of organisations they are a part of.
Dr Robinson told the 320 public health workers a telephone survey of 2,520 adults in Counties-Manukau found the majority of them wanted to lead healthier lives, but found barriers to that.
“A third of adults in Counties-Manukau are overweight and a further quarter are obese. These proportions are much higher among Maori and Pacific people and are growing rapidly. The Counties-Manukau DHB, through its Let’s Beat Diabetes communications campaign, “Swap2Win”, is encouraging a swap to a healthier lifestyle to prevent diabetes and obesity within the community. The survey wanted to find out the best ways of supporting people to make this swap.
Full media release
Do Healthy Children Learn More?
CMDHB - 11 June 2007
The relationship between physical activity, nutrition and academic achievement in school aged children has been formally identified and supports New Zealand educators' view that healthy children are in a better position to learn.
Today "Let's Beat Diabetes" (LBD) released a University of Auckland's School of Population Health Literature Review. The report was commissioned by LBD in an effort to better understand the contribution of physical activity and nutrition to academic performance *1. According to the report, students' health and well-being can either contribute to or undermine the ‘opportunity to learn', and therefore their ability to achieve. It is suggested an indirect link exists between physical activity, nutrition and academic achievement. This is a result of improvements in four areas namely physiological, behavioural, psychological and social well-being.
Evidence also links children's nutrition to their potential for learning. Nutrition is important for cognitive development throughout childhood and adolescence, as the brain continues to develop. Deficiencies in iron, iodine and zinc are a common form of malnourishment for New Zealand children and can have an impact on potential academic achievement. It has been observed that behavioural, emotional and academic problems are more prevalent in hungry children. These findings support the work of the Counties Manukau District Health Board (CMDHB) School Accord. This is an initiative of collaboration between the CMDHB and Counties Manukau schools developed to ensure children are ‘active, healthy and ready to learn'. John Heyes, Principal of Mangere College, Chairperson of AIMHI*2 and a representative on the CMDHB School Accord, says "It is good when schools have the ability to draw on academic research."
Full media release
Obesity a Local Problem
CMDHB - 28 February 2007
There are currently 1.6 billion overweight adults in the world, according to the World Health Organization. That number is projected to grow by 40% over the next 10 years. This coupled with the fact that 8 Pacific nations were ranked in the top 10 in terms of overweight means the situation is extremely serious.
The related health risks associated with being overweight include cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and stroke. Today more than 12,000 people in Counties Manukau have been diagnosed with diabetes. It has also been estimated that nearly double this number are yet to be diagnosed.
"Whilst this makes grim reading it is important that we understand that it is not healthy for anybody to be obese irrespective of their cultural heritage," says Chad Paraone, Let's Beat Diabetes, Programme Director. "What we know is that obesity is preventable and can be addressed."
Full media release
CMDHB walks the talk with the Heartbeat Challenge
CMDHB - 28 July 2006
Counties Manukau District Health Board is proud to be the recipient of the Heartbeat Challenge award, which recognises workplaces that implement policies and programmes to encourage staff to lead healthy, active lives.
Upon accepting the award at a ceremony on Monday the 24th of July, CMDHB CEO Stephen McKernan acknowledged the importance of the health board leading by example and being a role model for the community.
"We are delighted with the significant changes we've made to make CMDHB a healthier and more active workplace," says Mr McKernan. "But it is only a start. We need to make sure we build on this great work, and continue to support our staff to become healthy, active role models and champions, not only within our workplace but within the wider community.
Full media release
New Kai Lelei toolkit encourages healthy eating
CMDHB - 28 July 2006
CMDHBs Pacific community nutrition education programme, Kai Lelei, is set to be enhanced with the inclusion of a new toolkit, being launched this evening.
The Kai Lelei programme is delivered as part of the LotuMoui health programme, in conjunction with Pacific churches and CMDHBs Let's Beat Diabetes initiative.
Kai Lelei, meaning ‘a good meal' or ‘eat well', aims to educate South Auckland's Pacific population on the far-reaching benefits of healthy food choices and lifestyles.
The Toolkit includes a range of interactive resources which will help promote key nutrition messages for Pacific families such as, the right serving sizes, the different food groups and the importance of variety in ones diet.
Full media release
A Health and the Food Industry Unite to Beat Obesity and Diabetes
CMDHB - 03 October 2005
Counties Manukau District Health Board and the Food Industry have joined forces to beat obesity and diabetes in Counties Manukau, a move that received international recognition from the World Health Organisation recently.
Five months negotiation between the two parties has resulted in Counties Manukau becoming the pilot site for food industry to demonstrate its commitment to reduce childhood obesity in New Zealand via Counties Manukau District Health Board's (CMDHB) Let's Beat Diabetes. This health/food industry partnership is the first of its kind in New Zealand.
To ensure this partnership is effective and sustainable and meaningful outcomes are achieved, CMDHB and the food industry group have:
- Established the Joint Initiative Group (JIG). JIG, compromised of representatives from CMDHB and the food industry, will oversee the development and implementation of a health/food industry work programme for Counties Manukau, aimed at reducing obesity and diabetes; and
- Co-funded an advocacy position to develop and drive the health/food industry joint work programme for 2005/2006. Brian Weaver has been appointed to this position and commences employment on 03 October.
Plan to Beat Diabetes Launched
CMDHB - 26 May 2005
Full media release
CMDHB Goes To War Against Diabetes
CMDHB - 25 May 2005
Full media release
Combatting Diabetes in Counties Manukau: Let's Beat Diabetes
CMDHB - 03 March 2005
Full media release
