Planning for a Better Future

June 2010

Do you want to help create a better future for yourself, your family and communities in Counties Manukau?

Poor nutrition, lack of physical activity, tobacco use and the misuse of alcohol lead to a significant burden of preventable disease in Counties Manukau. Specifically, these factors contribute to high rates of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases and many cancers. These diseases are responsible for many of our community living with ill health or dying before their time.

This doesn’t have to happen. By making some changes to what we eat, how much exercise we do, and whether we smoke or drink too much alcohol, many people could avoid these diseases entirely.

To support our communities to have a healthier future, the Counties Manukau District Health Board and community partners are launching a new health strategy, called Creating a Better Future, on Thursday.

This strategy will address tobacco use, poor nutrition, lack of physical activity and the misuse of alcohol in Counties Manukau. By doing so, it aims to prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, chronic respiratory diseases and many cancers. It is also about improving the quality of life and management of people who already live with these diseases.

The five year strategy has an emphasis on working with those communities that suffer most from these diseases - Maaori, Pacific and South Asian. It has evolved from Let’s Beat Diabetes, which has been running in Counties Manukau for the last five years with a focus on Type 2 diabetes only.

Creating a Better Future will bring together new ideas with work already underway in Counties Manukau. This could mean you start seeing healthier food choices being sold at community events, opportunities for free physical activity and more support to stop smoking.