Province resolves to fight obesity with new campaign
Published Saturday January 3rd, 2009
Health | Department of Wellness, Culture and Sport urges more positive nutrition, lifestyles with prizes for participants
The Department of Wellness, Culture and Sport is hoping a new campaign will reverse the province's expanding obesity rates and encourage residents to stick with their New Year's resolutions.
Michelle Bourgoin, director of the province's wellness branch, said the Good News For A Change campaign is about inspiring people to make healthy changes in their day-to-day lives.
She said many New Brunswickers have abandoned their resolutions in the past but this is the perfect time of year to make a fresh start.
"Studies show that only about 12 per cent stick to (their New Year's resolutions)," she said.
"We're hoping people will make new choices that are about changing their lives and making good habits so it's not focused on being healthy for a few months, or about going down south so they can look good on a beach."
Bourgoin said New Brunswick has to make a commitment to improve its habits or face some dire consequences.
"Our children may not live as long as our parents if things don't change," she said. "But things can change today if they choose to make that happen."
The provincial program will publicize positive health stories from people across New Brunswick on a new website - www.goodnewsforachange.ca.
Residents are encouraged to share stories about ways they improved their wellness. These stories will be posted to the website in hopes of inspiring others.
Participants are then entered into a contest where they could win New Brunswick tourism and parks vacation packages, $5,000 worth of healthy food coupons and a food makeover co-ordinated by McCain Foods dietitian Rose Reisman.
Bourgoin said the key to making successful lifestyle changes is to focus on making one adjustment at a time and setting realistic goals.
"Some people set really high goals like, 'I'm going to lose 30 pounds (13.6 kilograms) in a month,' or these kinds of things, and people may not realize that what they need to do is take stock of their goals and create a solid plan that is achievable," she said.
"It's about setting small, realistic goals that are measurable and sustainable over time. You also need to pick something that you'll stick with and enjoy. A lot of people say they're going to go jogging, or they'll hit the treadmill, but they don't like those things.
"It becomes easier to abandon the activity if you don't really like what you're doing."
Hedard Albert, minister of wellness, culture and sport, said New Brunswickers have to change their habits now to avoid a health crisis.
"Youth obesity rates have tripled over the past 25 years," he said.
"Only a third of Atlantic Canadians eat enough vegetables and fruit for good health, and 54 per cent of our children and youth are not physically active enough to achieve health benefits."
Bourgoin said she's hoping the Good News For A Change program will get people off to a good start.
"It's all about creating a movement," she said.
"The best efforts in terms of community change have always been about a movement and community pride. People say they want to be a part of it. That's what we're hoping will happen here."
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