The weigh to go
A strategy aimed at reversing the growing trend of obesity was launched by Health Minister Joe Cassar this morning.
"A healthy weight for life strategy" aims to reduce the self-reported overweight adult population from 36 to 33 per cent, the self-reported obese population from 22 to 18 per cent, the measured seven-year-old overweight children from 32 to 27 per cent and to maintain the proportion of obese 13-year-olds to below 15 per cent.
Public Health Superintendent Ray Busuttil noted that Malta enjoyed two gold medals for the proportion of obese and overweight 15-year-olds, a silver medal for 13 and 11 year olds and a bronze medal for adult females.
The aim of the strategy is to reverse this growing proportion of obese, overweight children and adults to reduce the health, social and economic consequences.
The economic impact of obesity is €19.5 million a year for the state sector, a figure that will go up to €27 million in 2020 unless the problem is reversed.
The authorities have been working on the strategy, which should lead the country to 2020, since 2007. The inter-sectoral committee to counteract obesity, which included the participation of seven ministries, was involved and the strategy has been approved by cabinet.
The 2020 targets for nutrition are to reduce the frequency of intake of processed meat by five per cent, reduce the percentage of the population who never consume fish by 20 per cent, reduce the consumption of sweets and sugared soft drinks by 10 per cent, reduce salt consumption by 10 per cent and reduce the daily fat intake by 10 per cent.
Other aims were to increase the daily consumption of vegetables by 25 per cent in the younger age groups, focus heavily on the importance of breast feeding and involve a review of the breastfeeding policy for Malta.
The strategy also aims to increase the proportion of Maltese who carry out moderate of high level physical activity daily from 43.5 to 70 per cent and reduce the portion of children and adolescents who never exercise by five per cent.
Health Care Services needed to be reoriented from curative to health promotion, enhancing access to a personalised service for overweight and obese people of all ages.
At community level, the strategy proposes overweight and obesity clinics for adults and children.
It will be implemented on three-year rolling action plans with an implementation group ensuring that targets are achieved within the allocated time frame and budgets. The targets will be monitored in 2015, 2018 and 2020.
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Tanya Damato
Feb 23rd, 07:49
I think it's about time that our island should introduce health farms to help people more like there are places for helping people with drugs ....
Lucienne Dimech
Feb 22nd, 18:45
I do appreciate the national problem. But how can the minister see to what we eat and how much we excercise?
Pamela Hansen
Feb 22nd, 16:52
As already commented by others, if the government is serious about curtailing obesity it should stop giving licences for more junk food shops and kiosks. We have one at literally every street corner and they have been sprouting like mushrooms. I love pastizzi and would certainly like to be able to buy them. But do we need a shop selling them at every two paces. The kiosks that should go are those on the sea front. It is incredibly difficult for parents with young children to go for a 'healthy' walk along the promenade. Besides the obesity issue, aesthetically they spoil the promenades.
Mr Michael Galea
Feb 22nd, 15:15
The more the prices go up in healthy food the more people will buy junk food!! Maltese Cheesecakes (pastizz) is cheaper than any type fruit ! Make fruit vendors more accessible in our villages and give less permissions to fast food shops. To buy a pizza or burger is easy in any village but not the same as to buy fruit from fruit vendors! to encourage healthy living we must enforce healthy living !!. Bicycle lanes are not continuous as the should be !! so we can encourage more cyclists on the road and less cars! By just doing statements and talking will not solve anything! encourage people with bicycles to have priority parking everywhere! encourage more health shops to open,reduction on fruit , vegetables seafood and poultry , Encourage more bicycle shops to open. Cheaper prices on water bottles(imported and Local).jogging lanes, Free fitness centres.These things we should consider!
Paul Azzopardi
Feb 22nd, 15:04
Interesting observation you lot, pastizzi and fat cointent etc. But..If the Government would really like to contribute to the health of the Maltese, the one thing he should observe are the lack of Parks and activity zones and public activities in general. Besides the fact that Malta is small, having all these green areas, which I really cant find many that permit being in the green without a Hunter or RTO or No Entry or building site dominating every where you go. How about setting the rules on those first and letting the public know of some good sites where once upon a time one could've taken his family for a picnic and Im not talking about Pollution ridden Kennedy Grove (what a joke) Gnejna is a good example of a beautiful area taken over by hunters and No entries, why not start with that? Used to be beautiful. Activities; there should be someone organizing public activities for families etc there must be someone in our precious government responsible for that , who I challenge anyone who might know , he sure isnt popular around here. We joined the EU to learn something but I dont think we really are bothering to learn cause anywhere in Europe I go every single weekend, Eg in Prague, they have activities and sponsors for such activities. They are all free to the general public from Medival Sunday to Zombie day, some of the most rediculously colourful ideas I admit but its something not NOTHING , guess what? people attend in the thousands. Where are our Think Tank Boys ?? Wakey Wakey Wake up, dont say it Mr Busutill, just do it.
Mr Michael Galea
Feb 22nd, 14:59
"The aim of the strategy is to reverse this growing proportion of obese, overweight children and adults to reduce the health, social and economic consequences."
Here's an Idea Make Vegetables and Fruit Cheap !!! Less taxes on fruit and veg!! and Hefty taxes on junk food !!
No taxes on Seafood and high taxes on burgers!! not as we are at present with 1euro you can buy a burger but you can hardly buy any fruit, veg or other healthy food with 1 euro!!
T Cassar
Feb 22nd, 14:10
Perhaps government funded contracts should be looked at then......how about starting with the fat content in the food prepared for staff at Mater Dei Hospital, daily pasta and pastries (torti), reconstitued meat, which they call spare ribs or chicken cooked with the skin on...............As a side a choice of EITHER fries or buttered veggies......A look at the salad bar reveals more pasta, canned beans and something or other smothered in mayo!
Carmen Buhagiar
Feb 22nd, 17:25
I totally agree....setting an example can be very effective especially from our Hospital.
Another thing is that most healthy food, such as wholegrain pasta and bread, salt reduced items, fat free cheese and many more items are sometimes very expensive for the average family of 2 or 3 children to buy depending only on one person with average wage in the family! The price of fish is skyhigh...... I think everybody wants to be healthy while eating healthy food but prices have to be reasonable or else have higher wages......I know it's not easy.......
Tony Bishop
Feb 22nd, 13:35
Mr.Health Minister can you tell us when the ehealth site is going to start.It was supposed to start on 29th Jan.but till now all you get is COMING SOON>
Margaret Vella
Feb 22nd, 13:25
If the government really wishes for Maltese population of get a healthier nutrition he should first eliminate lots of fast food in Maltese islands. For example only in Qormi there are more than 7 'pastizzerija'. Even if you go the Bizzaza street Sliema there is a new 'pastizzerija'! Why there aren't any salad shops / healthy nutrition fast foods?
Mrs Louise Calleja
Feb 22nd, 14:08
Well Ms Vella - come on, be the first!! Why sit and wait for the government - get on with it and open your own. You never know - you might start a trend!
Mr patrick mifsud
Feb 22nd, 14:17
dear Ms. Vella,
it is up to you whether you eat pastizzi or not. why does the government has to stop pastizzerijas from opening. It is the same as smoking, drinking etc. Shall we close all pubs so that no one will drink or smoke? we need to educate our people and not closing shops. if you want pastizzi you can still buy them frozen and bake them yourself at home. people need to learn how to eat. certain schools already prohibit certain foods to be sold at tuck shops however they can still find pastizzerijas close to the school. for the latter i agree with you but you can just stop giving permissions to open pastizzerijas.
Noel Mifsud
Feb 22nd, 14:31
Ms Vella if you dont want to buy pastizzi no one is saying you to do. So jekk jifthu 100 xorta jixtri min irid hux. Jien ma nixtrix pastizzim ittrenja u nigri. Jistaw jifthu kemm iridu.
Robert Zammit
Feb 22nd, 14:35
are you right, but people need learn " How learn when stop eat" if any ignore ...
N Zahra
Feb 22nd, 19:31
Ms. Vella - you're spot on. Pastizzi in large doses are as dangerous as cigarettes, so the government should either close them all, or else put on excise duty just like cigarettes. For everyone using the 'everyone has the right to choose' argument; if that's the case, then let's legalize all drugs and remove excise duty from cigarettes. The reality is that many people are not able to choose for themselves and that obesity is harmful to society as a whole. Obese people cost much more (in terms of health services) than non-obese members of society.
Margaret Vella
Feb 23rd, 23:06
@ Ms. Louise Calleja if I had the moneyI would start one.
@Mr patrick mifsud I never said to close the current pastizzerijas but like you said he should shop giving permissions to open new once!
@Noel Mifsud you know what to do. you train and go running, but now a days every one has a busy life therefore we need fast food, and pastizzerija is found easily around Malta.. So is not only about what to buy to eat but what you find to buy to eat!