Capital & Coast leading by example

Capital & Coast leading by example

Capital & Coast District Health Board (CCDHB) aims to lead by example this Diabetes Awareness week with an amended hospital-wide healthy food guideline.

Hospital cafes and vending machines first removed all high-sugared drinks from their menus, and reduced portion sizes on high sugar and fat foods in 2007.
These guidelines have now been amended to ensure all food and drink sold on CCDHB premises is in line with the most recent Food and Nutrition Guidelines for New Zealanders.

Diabetes inpatient nurse Tess Clarke says the amendment is a response to rising diabetes rates and the increased prevalence of sugar in New Zealanders’ diets.
“One thing we thought is we can’t be out telling people how to improve their health without cleaning up our own backyard first,” Tess says.

Changing eating habits is a top priority for hospital staff as more than 200,000 kiwis are affected by diabetes. As many as one in four New Zealanders are at risk of developing type-2 diabetes which is preventable, and influenced by excess sugar intake.

The World Health Organisation recommends adults can consume up to a maximum of six teaspoons of sugar a day as part of a healthy diet, but on average kiwis consume 29 teaspoons.

Tess and senior dietitian Jo Stewart helped engineer the recent changes with staff at CCDHB, with a goal for hospital staff to lead by example.
Regional Public Health dietitian Vicki Robinson says the policy has provided an opportunity for CCDHB to demonstrate a commitment to health, role model a ‘healthy food environment’, and to make healthier choices easier to access.

“We really welcome this policy as an important first step in improving the health of our staff and visitors,” Vicki says.

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