HEALTHY LIVING INITIATIVES

Mrs VLAHOS (Taylor) (14:34): My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Can the minister inform the house about how SA Health is spreading the merits of healthy lifestyle to South Australians?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts) (14:34): I thank the member for Taylor for this question. Members would be aware, I hope, that SA Health is stepping up its efforts to support South Australians to adopt healthier lifestyle habits. Recently a new lifestyle guide, Your Guide to a Healthier Today, was produced and distributed to South Australians which is about improving diet and getting more exercise. In fact, we distributed it through the Sunday Mail, and 220,000 copies were thus distributed plus another 8,000 to various community organisations and health services.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Smoking, yes. I have not quite reached 100 per cent target there with smoking. This new publication is linking readers with SA Health's Facebook page where ongoing healthy lifestyle tips are being provided to social media users. Since the guide was included in the Sunday Mail on 29 April there has been a 250 per cent increase in the number of people following SA Health news (up from 631 to 2,250 on Facebook) where regular tips about healthy lifestyle are provided.

In addition, more than 900 free healthy food cookbooks were ordered and 1,350 people entered competitions to win a range of healthy-living prizes which were on offer. Many users have commented that the guide has been a useful tool to improve their diet and exercise habits. One user commented:

What a fantastic brochure. As a cook in the childcare sector I'm always coming up with different but delicious ideas to get more vegetable and fruit into the food. More people need to understand that it isn't hard to get two and five into everyday meals.

SA Health's Facebook page is reaching a large number of women, in particular, who we know tend to have the greatest influence over food choices within households. SA Health intends to produce another publication later this year that is tailored to the needs of people living in regional South Australia in particular. This is one of a number of government strategies to encourage South Australians to adopt healthier lifestyles. With a quarter of our children and six in every 10 adults either overweight or obese we must try to find new ways to do just this.

A further five communities will this year join OPAL (which is the Obesity Prevention and Lifestyle program), bringing the total number of communities taking part to 20; and we also help Palmerston in the Northern Territory. Councils are coming up with innovative ideas to get children and families moving more and eating healthier food, including supporting local fun runs, running cooking classes, developing local healthy food policies and providing active play kits at libraries; and I have to say that it is great to see the local mayors getting on board in a very creative way.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: They are, indeed. Also, earlier this month South Australia hosted a national seminar on food marketing to children, and representatives from government, non-government, public health and industry attended this one-day event where a united step forward was taken to reduce children's exposure to the marketing of unhealthy food and beverages.