Workplace support Eliza Walwyn – Jones, Cardiff and Vale Public Health Team

Key healthy eating messages and when to implement them  5-a-day: aim to eat 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables each day.  Snack swap: swap high fat and high sugar snacks to healthier options.  Portion swap: reduce your portion sizes. Aim for a third of your plate to be vegetables as this will help you to feel full. It takes a while for our brains to register we are full so try eating more slowly. Choose smaller portions of take away and convenience foods.

Key times to promote healthy eating  National Salt Awareness Week (10 th -16 th March 2014 – will announce 2015 date in summer on website)  Different focus every year, this year was need for better labelling   National Obesity Awareness Week (12 th -18 th Jan 2015)  Aims to raise awareness of obesity and how to make small changes to tackle it.  Three core themes for the week:  Understanding what we we eat and drink  Physical activity  Supporting people to lose weight   National Vegetarian Week (19 th -25 th May 2014)  Set your employees a challenge to go vegetarian for the week and use it as an opportunity to promote messages about meat free meals and the importance of fruit and vegetables.   New Years resolutions  New Years resolutions can be a great time to help employees commit to new changes in eating behaviour.  What about a pre-summer healthy eating push or encouraging people to make healthy choices for Lent?

Resources  Change 4 Life  Food smart recipes  Swap it, don’t stop it  Five a day leaflet postcard  Supported by Making Every Contact Count fact sheets which gives advice on engagement, the key messages to get across and how to promote action from the conversation  You can access the full list of available leaflets and fliers at:  You can also order leaflets from the Health Promotion Library: Tel:

You can access information and leaflets at

 Food provision at events is a great way to promote eating well, encourage the use of fresh local produce and build links with local food suppliers.  Guidance provides examples of healthier food alternatives to have at events  Also suggests other things to consider such as Health and Safety, how to price appropriately  Signposts to points for further information Guidance for Eating Well at Community Events

Training available  Making Every Contact Count  Nutrition Skills for Life

Making Every Contact Count  What is MECC training?  Typically 2½ hour session provided to your workplace/group of staff looking at how to have conversations promoting healthy behaviour.  Focuses on smoking, healthy eating, alcohol misuse, physical activity and immunisations  What do you learn on MECC training?  Ask, advise, act  Raising topic  Advice on recommended benefits and how to achieve  Signposting to help  To arrange a session contact Tel:

Nutrition Skills for Life training - Agored Cymru  Aims to develop nutrition skills of a wide range of community workers, build on existing local partnerships and maximise workforce capacity  Variety of courses:  Community Food and Nutrition Skills courses  Get Cooking: Practical skills for preparing healthy, safe and economical meals for families  Foodwise for Life: Structured Weight Management programme  Duration varies depending on the course  What will you gain from the courses?  The ability to pass on basic, consistent information regarding food and nutrition to those you work with.  Learn practical skills & nutrition skills to pass on to others  A recognised qualification.  For further information please contact Department of Community Nutrition and Dietetics 

Other support  Food Co-ops  Food co-ops provide a easy and more sustainable way to buy affordable, quality and often local fresh fruit and vegetables from local producers or businesses.  Over 300 run in Wales, many in work places.  If you haven't got one nearby you could consider setting one up, the Rural Regeneration Unit will provide all the resources you need to get started.  To find your nearest co-op or for more information visit:  Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens  Workplace growing:  Wide range of gardening activity on work sites  Provides a good way of helping employees to unwind, grow fresh food and get physical activity.

Self referral programmes  MEND  Childhood obesity programme involving the whole family  Develop healthy lifestyle for families to improve health, fitness and self-esteem over the course of 10 weeks  Provide resources and training for professionals   Foodwise  Leisure centre staff run community weight loss programmes  Specialist 8 week course to give education about how to safely reach weight loss goals and change approach to food and fitness  Managing expectations, setting realistic targets and nutritional information alongside information about the importance of exercise.  For more information  If there are specific clinical concerns the best place to go is to the GP who will refer appropriately