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New round of activities to promote EatSmart at schools (with photo)
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    The Department of Health will continue its efforts to promote a healthy eating habit among primary school students during the current school year with a new round of programmes and activities to help them grow more healthily.

     New activities such as the School¡§NutriAgent¡¨Project (SNAP) have been mapped out to help schools create a healthy environment by setting up a Healthy Eating Policy. Some 200 schools will be taking part in the project this year.

     Other initiatives targeting parents, lunch suppliers and school managements will also be organised to equip them with the skills and knowledge to help children to adopt healthy eating habits.

     The activities and initiatives were outlined today (September 20) by the Assistant Director of Health (Health Promotion), Dr Regina Ching, at a press briefing to review progress of the¡§EatSmart@school.hk¡¨Campaign, a territory-wide effort launched in the 2006-07 school year and running into its second year to tackle the problem of child obesity and associated health problems.

     Dr Ching said the campaign had fostered a strong alliance with relevant parties concerned through a wide range of partnership building, educational and promotional activities.

    ¡§It was remarkable to note that 360 primary schools joined the¡¥Fruit Day¡¦event on April 19 when about 230,000 students enjoyed fruit at school and 445 out of 800 primary schools had participated in at least one of the activities under the campaign during the previous school year. More than 15 million hits were recorded at the campaign's website as of August 31,¡¨she said.

     Revealing future plans, Dr Ching said the Department of Health would continue to enlist the support of parents, schools, schoolchildren, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), relevant government departments and the wider society in creating a culture which supported healthy eating.  

     ¡§Their concerted efforts are vital in making the campaign successful,¡¨Dr Ching said.
   
     ¡§Tapping on these valuable supports, we have mapped out an overall strategy and a work plan in this academic year to further help students develop a good eating pattern.¡¨

     Initiatives include parental education activities. Train-the-trainer programmes will be organised in collaboration with Federation of Parents-Teachers Associations, women's organisations and community NGOs.

     Close liaison will be maintained with lunch suppliers through a working group to encourage good practices in the industry in promoting healthy eating among students.

     The fun-filled Fruit Day will be held again in 2008 to let children experience the fun of eating fruit in a lively way.

     Two forums with school management have been scheduled in January and May 2008 respectively to cover issues such as selection of school lunch suppliers, experience sharing in healthy eating promotion and learning from case studies.

     Details of these activities will be announced and posted on the campaign¡¦s website: http://www.eatsmart.gov.hk/ in due course.

     Also present at today¡¦s briefing were teacher of Po Leung Kuk Fong Wong Kam Chuen Primary School Ms Cheung Pak-yau; representative of Lunch Box Supplier of SKH Kei Fook Primary School Mr Danny Lau; representative of Tuck Shop of SKH Kei Fook Primary School Mr David Kwan; Parent Representative of HHCKLA Buddhist Wong Cho Sum Primary School Mrs Yeung; and Student Representative of HHCKLA Buddhist Wong Cho Sum Primary School Yeung Ka-shing.

     The 'EatSmart@school.hk' campaign was launched with the support of the Education Bureau, Committee on Home-School Co-operation, School Headmasters'/Headmistresses' Associations and other professional organisations in the 2006-07 academic year to cultivate healthy eating practices among children to help them grow healthily and learn effectively.

Ends/Thursday, September 20, 2007
Issued at HKT 17:02

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