A Picture of Health - Tameside
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Sugar, Saturated Fat, and Salt! The villains of the food world. Did you know kids are having nearly three times more sugar than the recommended daily amount every day? Or did you know; most of the salt we’re eating each day is already in the food we buy (on top of the salt we add!)? But there is no need to panic with the FREE Change4Life Food Smart App. This simple barcode scanner reveals the sugar, salt and saturated fat in our daily food and provides healthy and often cheaper alternatives. Download the app today! In Public Health we look at the way people in Tameside live as a whole population. This helps us understand what the main health and wellbeing challenges are for people living here, so we can look for ways to improve levels of health. We’ll be sharing facts and figures about health in Tameside with you every month, to put you in the picture. We’ll also be giving you information on how you can help yourself and the people around you to live well. For more information email [email protected] Find us on Healthy Tameside A Picture of Health 1 5 6 9 10 3 7 4 8 2 Nutrition and Physical Activity In focus this month: So what is the picture of health in Tameside for physical activity and healthy eating? We’re heading in the right direction, but we’re not winning the race by a long shot. Only around 85,000 people in Tameside do some regular physical activity and on average eat only 2 portions of fruit and just over 1 portion of veg! If you’re not sure whether you are getting enough exercise or eating the right kind of foods, have a go at this little quiz, which will lead you through to some useful tools to help you get moving move and eat well again. Because there is only One You! Or if you need a helping hand, contact Be Well Tameside on 0161 716 2000 Physical activity doesn’t have to mean running at full speed, maxing out the weights, or downing protein shakes to hit the gym harder. Any movement is better than none, but what you do needs to be right for you, your body, and your age. The good news is it’s never too late (or early!) to start, and resetting your activity levels can bring back the energy you enjoyed years ago. It’s also great for your mental wellbeing too. Check out the guidelines for physical activity for your age group here. If your current weekly routine involves little or no physical activity, you might be wondering where to start, especially if you have a health condition that you are worried about. If that sounds like you, then the Live Active service could help. Ask your GP, practice nurse or healthcare professional for a referral. Live Active has specialist advisors who can support you to get moving and stay active with your long term condition. Run for your life! A lack of time and money is often given as the reason people don’t manage to work exercise into their lives, but the great thing about exercise is that it doesn’t have to cost £s. There are opportunities all around Tameside to get moving for FREE. We’ve got rolling hills, parks and green spaces as well as a whole host of places to walk, hike and bike. If you think running could be your thing, join Parkrun. A free weekly 5k run organised by volunteers. Meet by Stamford park boating lake, 9am every Saturday and now at Hyde park every Saturday at 9am. Don’t forget your barcode to get your personal time. It’s easy with exercise to think it’s just about the physical body, but your mind loves it when you get moving too. It increases feelings of wellbeing and contentment, helps us feel more positive about our bodies, and increases our confidence. Physical activity is one of the most important non-medical treatments of depression, and may even be prescribed by your GP. One study said that increasing your activity levels from nothing to 3 times a week reduces your chances of experiencing mild to moderate depression by 20%. When you combine that with the social side, or enjoying our local greenspaces, the benefits are even bigger. Connecting with people and places, and taking notice of our surroundings all help towards better mental wellbeing. Think of nutrition like this; someone gives you a new car! It goes like a dream, it looks great and you love being seen in it. The garage nearby is open 24 hours, but they put additives in the fuel to make it stretch further so it’s cheap to fill up. It keeps your engine going, although your car gives the odd cough and splutter. You have a doubt that the fuel is damaging your car but as long as it’s still running you tell yourself not to worry. Then your engine packs up by the roadside and the AA have to tow you to the nearest garage! Very inconvenient and your car is out of action. Your body is like a car. Good nutrition may make the difference between driving round in an old banger or a vintage classic. Which would you prefer? Walking is one of the best forms of physical activity you can do. Steady and manageable for most, cost-free, and you aren’t so out of breath that you can’t talk to your companions. There are lots of great places to walk in Tameside; we’ve got panoramic views from the top of Hobson Moor or Hartshead Pike, and we’ve got nature reserves and reservoirs aplenty. We’ve got heritage trails and even a few wildflower meadows. It’s easy when you spend most of your time in a car flitting between our 9 towns to forget that we have so many hidden gems in our green spaces so why not get out there and see for yourself. Check out some routes here if you want to go it alone, or join a local groups on one of our many guided walks. Salt is everywhere. On our dinner tables and in most of our foods. Whilst a sprinkle of salt to tickle the tastebuds is fine in small doses, too much can raise your blood pressure. High blood pressure (also known as Hypertension) is symptomless, but increases your chance of developing heart disease or having a stroke, so you might not know until it’s too late. Adults should eat no more than a level teaspoon of salt per day, but as it lurks in unexpected places like cereal and bread, the reality is the average adult eats an extra 766 grams of salt per year more than they should. And don’t be fooled that your fancy organic sea salt. It all has the same effect. Lo-salt is a good alternative with all the flavour, or if it has to be the real deal see here for how to cut back. Give Up Loving Pop! Without knowing we often gulp down fizzy and sugary drinks either as a treat or energy booster but regular consumption of sugary drinks is strongly associated with being overweight, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and tooth decay. Did you know that a single 330ml can of a soft drink with added sugar, containing as much as 35g of sugar (that’s nine sugar cubes!). For those over the age of 11, it is recommended to have no more than 30g of added sugar a day which is roughly seven sugar cubes – so that soft drink is not looking so good now. Not only is drinking a healthier alternative like water better for health but better for our wallet too! 11 12 5 portions of fruit and veg a day. We all know we should be doing it, but how many of us let our good intentions turn to goo in the salad drawer? When budgets are tight it’s easy to strike fruit and veg off the shopping list to save pennies, but your 5 a day doesn’t have to cost a lot. Buy loose from Tameside’s market traders to get just the amount you need, or try the budget supermarkets with their cheap weekly deals. If cooking fresh isn’t your thing, tinned and frozen veg come in even cheaper and last longer. Just opt for the unsalted, unsweetened versions. Your body will thank you for it with higher energy levels and improved mood. If you regularly put more food and drink into your body than it needs, it may eventually struggle to process it. That’s when Type 2 Diabetes may set in. There are 10,000 people in Tameside living with the condition at the moment, so it’s a very real threat to health for people living here; in fact you probably know one or two of them. Are you at risk? Next time you’re near a tape measure, see how many inches you are around the middle. If you are over 31.5 inches as a woman, or 37* inches as a man, you’re at increased risk. *These figures differ with ethnicity.
Transcript of A Picture of Health - Tameside
Sugar, Saturated Fat, and Salt! The villains of the food world. Did you know kids are having nearly three times more sugar than the recommended daily amount every day? Or did you know; most of the salt we’re eating each day is already in the food we buy (on top of the salt we add!)? But there is no need to panic with the FREE Change4Life Food Smart App. This simple barcode scanner reveals the sugar, salt and saturated fat in our daily food and provides healthy and often cheaper alternatives. Download the app today!
In Public Health we look at the way people in Tameside live as a whole population. This helps us understand what the main health and wellbeing challenges are for people living here, so we can look for ways to improve levels of health. We’ll be sharing facts and figures about health in Tameside with you every month, to put you in the picture. We’ll also be giving you information on how you can help yourself and the people around you to live well.
For more information email [email protected] Find us on Healthy Tameside
A Picture of Health1
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Nutrition and Physical ActivityIn focus this month:
So what is the picture of health in Tameside for physical activity and healthy eating? We’re heading in the right direction, but we’re not winning the race by a long shot. Only around 85,000 people in Tameside do some regular physical activity and on average eat only 2 portions of fruit and just over 1 portion of veg! If you’re not sure whether you are getting enough exercise or eating the right kind of foods, have a go at this little quiz, which will lead you through to some useful tools to help you get moving move and eat well again. Because there is only One You! Or if you need a helping hand, contact Be Well Tameside on 0161 716 2000
Physical activity doesn’t have to mean running at full speed, maxing out the weights, or downing protein shakes to hit the gym harder. Any movement is better than none, but what you do needs to be right for you, your body, and your age. The good news is it’s never too late (or early!) to start, and resetting your activity levels can bring back the energy you enjoyed years ago. It’s also great for your mental wellbeing too. Check out the guidelines for physical activity for your age group here.
If your current weekly routine involves little or no physical activity, you might be wondering where to start, especially if you have a health condition that you are worried about. If that sounds like you, then the Live Active service could help. Ask your GP, practice nurse or healthcare professional for a referral. Live Active has specialist advisors who can support you to get moving and stay active with your long term condition.
Run for your life! A lack of time and money is often given as the reason people don’t manage to work exercise into their lives, but the great thing about exercise is that it doesn’t have to cost £s. There are opportunities all around Tameside to get moving for FREE. We’ve got rolling hills, parks and green spaces as well as a whole host of places to walk, hike and bike. If you think running could be your thing, join Parkrun. A free weekly 5k run organised by volunteers. Meet by Stamford park boating lake, 9am every Saturday and now at Hyde park every Saturday at 9am. Don’t forget your barcode to get your personal time.
It’s easy with exercise to think it’s just about the physical body, but your mind loves it when you get moving too. It increases feelings of wellbeing and contentment, helps us feel more positive about our bodies, and increases our confidence. Physical activity is one of the most important non-medical treatments of depression, and may even be prescribed by your GP. One study said that increasing your activity levels from nothing to 3 times a week reduces your chances of experiencing mild to moderate depression by 20%. When you combine that with the social side, or enjoying our local greenspaces, the benefits are even bigger. Connecting with people and places, and taking notice of our surroundings all help towards better mental wellbeing.
Think of nutrition like this; someone gives you a new car! It goes like a dream, it looks great and you love being seen in it. The garage nearby is open 24 hours, but they put additives in the fuel to make it stretch further so it’s cheap to fill up. It keeps your engine going, although your car gives the odd cough and splutter. You have a doubt that the fuel is damaging your car but as long as it’s still running you tell yourself not to worry. Then your engine packs up by the roadside and the AA have to tow you to the nearest garage! Very inconvenient and your car is out of action. Your body is like a car. Good nutrition may make the difference between driving round in an old banger or a vintage classic. Which would you prefer?
Walking is one of the best forms of physical activity you can do. Steady and manageable for most, cost-free, and you aren’t so out of breath that you can’t talk to your companions. There are lots of great places to walk in Tameside; we’ve got panoramic views from the top of Hobson Moor or Hartshead Pike, and we’ve got nature reserves and reservoirs aplenty. We’ve got heritage trails and even a few wildflower meadows. It’s easy when you spend most of your time in a car flitting between our 9 towns to forget that we have so many hidden gems in our green spaces so why not get out there and see for yourself. Check out some routes here if you want to go it alone, or join a local groups on one of our many guided walks.
Salt is everywhere. On our dinner tables and in most of our foods. Whilst a sprinkle of salt to tickle the tastebuds is fine in small doses, too much can raise your blood pressure. High blood pressure (also known as Hypertension) is symptomless, but increases your chance of developing heart disease or having a stroke, so you might not know until it’s too late. Adults should eat no more than a level teaspoon of salt per day, but as it lurks in unexpected places like cereal and bread, the reality is the average adult eats an extra 766 grams of salt per year more than they should. And don’t be fooled that your fancy organic sea salt. It all has the same effect. Lo-salt is a good alternative with all the flavour, or if it has to be the real deal see here for how to cut back.
Give Up Loving Pop! Without knowing we often gulp down fizzy and sugary drinks either as a treat or energy booster but regular consumption of sugary drinks is strongly associated with being overweight, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and tooth decay. Did you know that a single 330ml can of a soft drink with added sugar, containing as much as 35g of sugar (that’s nine sugar cubes!). For those over the age of 11, it is recommended to have no more than 30g of added sugar a day which is roughly seven sugar cubes – so that soft drink is not looking so good now. Not only is drinking a healthier alternative like water better for health but better for our wallet too!
11 125 portions of fruit and veg a day. We all know we should be doing it, but how many of us let our good intentions turn to goo in the salad drawer? When budgets are tight it’s easy to strike fruit and veg off the shopping list to save pennies, but your 5 a day doesn’t have to cost a lot. Buy loose from Tameside’s market traders to get just the amount you need, or try the budget supermarkets with their cheap weekly deals. If cooking fresh isn’t your thing, tinned and frozen veg come in even cheaper and last longer. Just opt for the unsalted, unsweetened versions. Your body will thank you for it with higher energy levels and improved mood.
If you regularly put more food and drink into your body than it needs, it may eventually struggle to process it. That’s when Type 2 Diabetes may set in. There are 10,000 people in Tameside living with the condition at the moment, so it’s a very real threat to health for people living here; in fact you probably know one or two of them. Are you at
risk? Next time you’re near a tape measure, see how many inches you are around the middle. If you are over 31.5 inches as a woman, or 37* inches as a man, you’re at increased risk. *These figures differ with ethnicity.
