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Half A Million Dollar Health BoostSupport for Living Healthy in Bass Coast is set to improve with a $556,000 grant secured by Bass Coast Shire Council. By Bass Coast - 8th February 2012 - Back to News Council’s proposal called Living Healthy in Bass Coast was one of 47 projects from across Australia to be awarded a Healthy Communities Initiative grant from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing.
Community and Economic Development Director, Steven Piasente, said the aim of the project is to reduce the escalating rates of obesity through community-based physical activity, healthy eating and lifestyle programs.
"The project concept was put together by Berni Murphy, Council’s Social and Community Planning Team Leader, and the key idea is to get everyone moving and eating a healthier diet.
"The fact is, very few people get enough physical activity or eat enough fruit and vegetables which protect us against lifestyle diseases including diabetes and heart disease.
"Unfortunately evidence indicates that we have alarming rates of diabetes and heart disease across Bass Coast," said Mr Piasente.
"The Living Healthy in Bass Coast project will be a key initiative in seeking to turn this around.
"Council will use the funding to support other facilities and groups to offer new activities or improve existing activities," explained Mr Piasente.
"Heart Foundation Walking Groups have already been operating in limited locations across Bass Coast for some years now. This grant means that walking groups can be set up in several new locations, supported by trained facilitators.
"Walking groups encourage people to be more active, while providing participants with the opportunity to meet new friends in their local communities," said Mr Piasente.
Two other National programs will also be rolled out as part of this project. The HEAL program (Healthy Eating Activity and Lifestyle) will provide lifestyle education seminars and supervised exercise sessions. The Lift for Life program will involve supervised weight lifting sessions, particularly for people at risk of diabetes.
"Healthy lifestyle education sessions will be held across the Shire to encourage people to join in the push for Living Healthy in Bass Coast. These sessions will also provide opportunities for people to sign up to programs," continued Mr Piasente.
While the intention is to get everyone moving and eating a healthier diet, the main target groups for this project in Bass Coast are older people, people who are not in full time employment, people with a disability and their carers, and culturally and linguistically diverse groups.
Some funding will also be allocated to community gardens, where community groups can work together to grow their own fruit and vegetables.
"Upscaling existing community kitchens through the provision of new kitchen equipment and support from trained facilitators will also be made possible by this grant. This funding means that we can provide a lot more choice in the type and location of healthy activities on offer.
"I encourage everybody to get involved in one of the new health programs as we all need to keep working at maintaining a healthy lifestyle," Mr Piasente said.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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