NEWS
News and views from the New Zealand fitness industry.
Why the new eating and activity guidelines for Kiwis miss the mark
The New Zealand Ministry of Health has released new
activity and nutrition guidelines. While the general messages
are similar to earlier ones, the guidelines do at least bring
together the Ministry’s advice on eating and activity.
The key changes introduced include:
• A new statement on maintaining healthy bodyweight
• More emphasis on eating better quality grains (bread
and cereals)
• Meat and plant protein food group renamed
• Focus on reduced saturated fat
• New advice to choose mostly ‘whole’ foods and less
processed foods
• Recommendation to reduce sitting time
• Using weekly rather than daily activity targets
• Recognising the benefit of higher intensity activities
• Recognising the benefit of doing activities for longer
• A new statement recommending muscle
strengthening activities.
While a step in the right direction, in the opinion of leading
academics, and ExerciseNZ, they miss the opportunity
to address the very outdated messages that have been
used since the 1970s – which clearly aren’t working.
The new guidelines fail to place enough emphasis on
Exercise Industry Awards play to a packed house
Over 300 guests recently celebrated
with winners and finalists at the
annual Exercise Industry Awards at
AUT University.
In addition to audits and mystery
shops, a live judging event was held
for many of the exercise professional
categories on the day before the
Awards dinner. Harnessing the skills
of many of the world class presenters
at the FitEx conference being held
the same weekend, dozens of judges
put the finalists through their paces
using a variety of scenarios and
direct questioning.
For full details of the awards,
including the 2015 winners, go to
exerciseindustryawards.co.nz
the importance of intensity of activity, or on the multiple
proven benefits of resistance training (especially for
diabetics). While sugar gets a mention in the guidelines,
the health dangers of excess consumption are not
emphasised enough, while the danger of saturated fat
continues to be overstated.
Unfortunately this means that the public will continue to
get conflicting messages around nutrition – and confusion
can lead to inaction. Perhaps the only ‘good news’ is that
there has been a groundswell of support from individuals
within the medical and academic communities for a more
evidence-based approach to these topics, with many now
speaking out against the old messages and proposing
alternatives based on evidence.
The right messages are out there – but just not from
these guidelines.
Richard Beddie
CEO, ExerciseNZ
Health and safety resource for exercise industry
With increasing liability
for both employers
and self employed
contractors, as well as
new laws that expand
the
expectations
of both groups, the
number of enquiries
ExerciseNZ
has
been receiving about
support in this area has more than tripled in the past six months.
To support all exercise businesses in New Zealand, from sole
practitioners such as PTs, through to large facilities, ExerciseNZ is
developing a comprehensive health and safety resource that will cover
all the essential elements of health and safety in relation to exercise
businesses.
Members of ExerciseNZ will receive the resource for free in due
course. For more information, email [email protected]
NETWORK SUMMER 2015 | 67