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More than 200 Cub Scouts and Brownies took an oath today (May 5) pledging to help promoting good eating habit among their peers, during the launching ceremony of the Healthy Eating Ambassador Programme, an icon under the Department of Health's (DH) EatSmart@school.hk campaign.
The programme, organized by DH in collaboration with Scout Association of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Girl Guides Association, was aimed to encourage some 50 000 Cub Scouts and Brownies to develop and maintain healthy eating habits. They will also help spread the messages across to the community through a range of community services.
A worrying rise in obesity rate has been recorded in the last 10 years and almost one in five school children is now obese. This is closely related to the lack of exercise and poor eating habits in daily lives.
To help children grow healthily and learn effectively, DH launched the "EatSmart@school.hk" campaign in the 2006-2007 academic year to cultivate healthy eating practices among children.
Officiating at the ceremony, the Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food (Health and Welfare), Ms Sandra Lee, said "I am delighted to see the Scout Association of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Girl Guides Association rendering active support to the campaign and setting up the ambassador programme with the assistance of DH." She was confident that with community support and collaboration gearing up, the EatSmart@school.hk campaign would no doubt bear fruit.
In his officiating speech, the Chief Commissioner of Scout Association of Hong Kong, Mr Pau Shiu-hung, said he hoped that the boys and girls would fulfill the mission of healthy eating ambassadors by encouraging their classmates, families and friends to make healthier food choices. Under the programme, training workshops on healthy eating will be held for leaders of Scouts and Girl Guides to help them organize related activities effectively and with confidence.
The Chief Commissioner of the Hong Kong Girl Guides Association, Mrs Julita Lee welcomed the production of a booklet on Healthy Eating Ambassador Programme. The booklet covered four areas of challenges, namely, "knowledge", "attitude", "action" and "promotion" so that young members may acquire healthy eating habits in an enjoyable manner.
Those who have completed the assessment may put a specially designed badge on their uniform and formally become Healthy Eating Ambassadors.
More information on the "EatSmart@school.hk" campaign is available at DH's website (http://www.eatsmart.gov.hk).
Ends/Saturday, May 5, 2007
Issued at HKT 16:00
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