News From Provincial Office

Heart Awareness Month

February was a month of cold hands and warm hearts as Heart Month was observed across Canada. At the Department of Health and Community Services, staff marked the occasion by wearing red on Valentine's Day and making a $150 donation to the Newfoundland and Labrador Heart and Stroke Foundation.

The Heart Smart Restaurant Program was also launched during Heart Month by the Newfoundland and Labrador Heart Health Program in partnership with the Newfoundland and Labrador Heart and Stroke Foundation. Additional information on this program is provided below.

The revised brochure Information and Guidelines for a Healthy Heart was also promoted throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. The Brochure and accompanying Trivia Contest originally developed by the St. John's Heart Health Coalition, met with such enthusiasm that it was made available across the province.

The Brochure offers handy information and useful tips on healthy eating, active living, being smoke-free, along with ways to control your blood pressure and cholesterol. The Trivia Contest is a way to test your knowledge on the information contained in the Brochure. The combination of the two make for a fun way to obtain or review health information and possibly enter a contest and win a Heart Health prize.

Health Minister Launches the Heart Smart Restaurant Program

In February 2001, Health and Community Services Minister Julie Bettney met with partners in the Heart Smart Restaurant Program to launch a major expansion and new look to this popular health promotion program.

The Heart Smart Restaurant Program is designed to encourage restaurants to offer healthy food choices to their customers. The program is based on healthy food choices which participating restaurants agree to make available to their patrons. These healthy food selections are displayed on promotional materials throughout the participating restaurants.

"The program has been functioning well for several years, primarily in urban areas", Minister Bettney said. "With the development of new promotional materials and resources and the cooperation of health agencies, restaurants and volunteers, we now expect this success can be echoed in other communities across the province."

The Heart Smart Restaurant Program is being implemented by the Regional Heart Health Coalitions in St. John's, Holyrood, Clarenville, Gander, Corner Brook, Flower's Cove and Sheshatshiu.

The Coalitions are supported in the delivery of the program by the provincial Heart Health Program in cooperation with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Dr. Catherine Donovan, medical officer of health with Health and Community Services, Eastern, and principal investigator, NLHHP, is a long-time supporter of the program.

"This province has one of the highest rates of cardio-vascular disease and modifiable risk factors in the country," Dr. Donovan said. "These risk factors can be prevented with the help of community action, and the Heart Smart Restaurant Program is an excellent example of community action that creates a supportive environment for people to make healthy choices."

Meanwhile, Minister Bettney noted it was appropriate that the program's expansion was being announced during February, which is Heart Month throughout Canada.

Type 2 Diabetes Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy

The Newfoundland and Labrador Heart Health Program and the Canadian Diabetes Association, Newfoundland and Labrador Division, were successful in obtaining funding to develop a Type 2 Diabetes Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy through the Canadian Diabetes Strategy Prevention and Promotion Contribution Program, Health Canada.

The goal of this project was to enhance inter-sectoral, community-based action around the prevention of Type 2 Diabetes by developing and disseminating a strategy that promotes the achievement of healthy living and the creation of health enhancing public policies and environments throughout the province.

The project included the completion of a literature review and the coordination of a consultative workshop which

brought together 50 individuals from across Newfoundland and Labrador to develop a strategic plan to address Type 2 Diabetes prevention and health promotion in our province.

The Strategic Plan focuses on key elements of health promotion including: increased awareness; resource development; skills enhancement, and advocacy.

The ultimate target population for the strategy is the general population, with the immediate target being those people and organizations key in developing and activating strategies to influence the health of the population.

Copies of the Strategy are available by contacting Carol Ann MacDonald at (709) 729-3939.

What's New - Teen Tobacco Team(TTT)

Minister announces new members... During National Non-Smoking Week in January, 2001, Health and Community Services Minister Julie Bettney announced four additions to the Teen Tobacco Team. Joining the six returning teen members are: Greg Spencer (Stephenville), Brandi Benoit (Corner Brook), Brad Rowsell (St. Anthony) and Scott Sacrey (Grand-Falls -Windsor).

New Team for 2000-2001
Back row: Victoria, Clarenville; Tara, Springdale; Greg, Stephenville; Brad, St. Anthony.
Middle row: Brandi, Corner Brook: Kathy, St. John's; Scott, Grand Falls-Windsor; Christopher, Postville.

Teen Tobacco Team releases annual report...

More than 400 schools and community organizations throughout the province received copies of the TTT's first annual report Where There's Smoke during National Non-Smoking Week in January, 2001. Where There's Smoke...designed as a funky newspaper, chronicles the activities of the TTT since its inception and provides teens with straight forward information about smoking so they can make informed decisions. The report includes several recommendations on how Government can address tobacco issues among youth. The report also notes TTT members' involvement in the highly visible "Smoking Sucks" advertising campaign (administered by ACT - the Alliance for the Control of Tobacco); the "Kick the Nic" stop-smoking campaign and the Ticker Tom Heart Health Program, administered by the Newfoundland and Labrador Heart Health Program.

Select Committee Presentation

On May 7, 2001, TTT members appeared before the Select Committee of the House of Assembly regarding Bill 9 - "An Act to Provide for the Recovery of Tobacco Related Health Care Costs". The teens made their view known that they believe suing the tobacco industry is the right thing to do.

Kick the Nic

Kick the Nic, a stop smoking program for teens, has been piloted throughout the province receiving rave reviews.

Plans are currently being developed to offer the program province wide. For further information, please contact the Regional Health Educator in your Region or Bernie Squires, Youth Tobacco Coordinator, at 729-1374.

International Year of Volunteers 2001

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the year 2001 as the International Year of Volunteers (IYV 2001). This global recognition allows countries the unique opportunity to highlight the achievements of generous and caring citizens.

Provincially, various events took place during Volunteer Week 2001, (April 22 - April 28). It was a time to say a great big Thank You to the more than 150,000 volunteers in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Everyday, these volunteers across our province are making a difference to the people around them and to their communities at large. Most of them go unnoticed and their work unheralded.

Volunteer Week is the perfect time to provide community agencies and individuals an opportunity to say "thank you, your work does matter and we appreciate you".

A heartfelt thank you to the many volunteers with the Newfoundland and Labrador Heart Health Program!

2001 Newfoundland & Labrador
Heart Health Exchange Workshop
~ We're on the Right Track ~

The fifth Provincial Heart Health Workshop entitled "We're on the Right Track" was held in St. John's, NL on June 15 & 16, 2001. The purpose of the Heart Health Workshop was to:

• provide a forum for networking and sharing;
• foster information exchange about successes and lessons learned;
• showcase initiatives; and,
• facilitate knowledge and skills development.

A total of sixty delegates attended from across both Newfoundland and Labrador representing: Health and Community Services; the NLHHP Advisory Committee; Regional Heart Health Coalitions; community volunteers; and, partner organizations.

The workshop featured sessions on: mobilizing communities for action; communicating health messages; heart health research findings; group dynamics; progress on provincial programs and initiatives; and highlighted the work of our regional coalitions and partner organizations around active living, healthy eating, being smoke-free and maintaining a healthy blood pressure.

Thank you to all who contributed towards making this provincial workshop a success!

Health and Recreation participating at the NLHHP Workshop
Left to right: Gary Milley, Newfoundland & Labrador Parks & Recreation Association; Eleanor Swanson, Department of Health & Community Services; David Doyle, Department of Tourism, Culture & Recreation

Relaxing at the close of the "We're on the Right Track" Workshop, left to right: Carol Ann MacDonald, Manager; Lorraine Holden, Secretary; and Peggy Holmes, Planning and Research Analyst with the Heart Health Program

Provincial Schools Surveyed on Nutrition Eat Well Live Well!

Food, nutritious food! We all need it to do well in our work.

The Coalition for School Nutrition sent surveys to all schools in the province to find out what food and nutrition policies, and food services, exist. A total of 251 schools or 72% of the schools in our province participated.

The survey results showed: 46% of the food offerings in the school cafeterias are considered nutritious; about 30% were non-nutritious; and, the remaining 20% were somewhat nutritious. Canteens were marginally better with 53% nutritious offerings; while vending machines on average contained only 27% nutritious choices.

The survey also found that schools are having some success in providing students with healthy choices. Lower priced milk is available in schools through the School Milk Program and, 1/3 of the schools have a breakfast program in which schools are offering students nutritious food regardless of ability to pay.

Schools were also surveyed according to grade level. Schools with K to Grade 6 had the highest incidence of nutritious food in the survey categories.

The Coalition for School Nutrition consists of two funding partners: the School Children's Food Foundation and the School Milk Foundation. The driving force behind the project was the Dietitians of Newfoundland and Labrador. Other agencies involved with the project included: the Federation of School Councils, the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Community Services, Health and Community Services - St. John's and Western Regions, the Newfoundland and Labrador School Boards Association, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Association.

The Coalition plans to use the information gained in the survey to increase access to nutritious food choices in schools, as well as provide nutritious food at reduced cost or no cost to students.

The Coalition plans to focus its solutions in the community by bringing together students, teachers, parents, school councils, school boards, government, corporate partners and volunteer groups.

Glendora Boland, Community Dietitian, acted as chairperson, while Darlene Rockets, School Health Coordinator, was a member of the Advisory Committee.

For additional information on this survey, please contact Glendora Boland at 738-4142.