Forth Valley Community Dietitians support a number of campaigns throughout the year.
NHS Events
View NHS Events for dates of health events and campaigns.
National Sugar Awareness Week – 30th Oct – 5th Nov 2017
Over the week Action on Sugar will be raising awareness of the health impacts of consuming excess sugar and calories and educating the public to help them consume less. As a nation we are consuming far too much sugar. Eating too much sugar can lead to tooth decay and can cause excess weight gain.
The government recommends that free sugars – sugars added to food or drinks, and sugars found naturally in honey, syrups, and unsweetened fruit juices shouldn’t make up more than 5% of the energy (calories) you get from food and drink each day. So adults should have no more than 30g of free sugars a day that’s equivalent to around seven sugar cubes. Children should be having even less.
- How does sugar in our diet affect our health – NHS Choices
- How to cut down on sugar in your diet – NHS Choices
- Sugar – BDA Factsheet
- Let’s be Food Smart – Get the Be Food Smart app and see how much sugar, saturated fat and salt is really inside your food and drinks.
Use FoodSwitch to see what’s in your shopping basket, and make better food choices when shopping for you and your family.
If you would like to get involved by running a Sugar Awareness Week event in your area or workplace, visit the ordering page to download and order some posters and leaflets.
‘Salt: The Forgotten Killer’ – Salt Awareness Week – 20th – 26th March 2017
Over the week CASH – Consensus Action on Salt & Health remind us that eating too much salt is bad for our health – it raises blood pressure, leading to strokes and heart attacks, and that by simply eating less we can improve our health and save lives.
- 75% of the salt we eat is hidden in the food we buy. Check the labels and switch to less salt!
- Adults should eat no more than 6g of salt a day – that’s around one teaspoon and children should eat even less.
Switch To Less Salt
Download the Poster, Leaflet or the Shopping Guide.
Use FoodSwitch to see what’s in your shopping basket, and make better food choices when shopping for you and your family.
Salt : The Facts – NHS Choices
#ChooseAHealthyStart Campaign
- Growing Bones Need Vitamin D – Find out more in Vitamin D and You Leaflet.
- Healthy Start – is a voucher scheme for women who have young children or who
are pregnant and are receiving benefits. You can get free milk, fruit and vegetables with Healthy Start vouchers. Check if you qualify here.
Eat Better Feel Better Campaign
The Eat Better Feel Better website by Healthier Scotland has been set up to inspire and support parents and families to make healthier changes to how they shop, cook and eat.
Visit www.eatbetterfeelbetter.co.uk for a first look at the tools, recipes and support on offer.
Folic Acid – Are you Getting Enough?
NHS Forth Valley Community Dietitians have launched a campaign to highlight the importance of folic acid intake amongst women in Forth Valley. The campaign supports World Spina Bifida Day as folic acid is a recognised step taken by mothers to reduce the risk of their baby developing the condition. The ‘Folic Acid-Are You Getting Enough?’ campaign aims to encourage women of child-bearing age, who could become pregnant to take a daily supplement – a 400mcg tablet – of folic acid, particularly those planning a pregnancy or those who are already pregnant.
Briefing packs with posters, information cards and fact sheets are being circulated to all pharmacies, GP surgeries, local colleges, family centres an nightclubs in the Forth Valley area to help promote the campaign and drive the message home.
- Find out more about Spina Bifida – Scottish Spina Bifida Association
Find out more about walks in: Clackmannanshire and Stirling.
