Promoting CHANGE Project

healthy foods

 

Maroondah City Council facilities are working towards the guidelines outlined in the Department of Health Healthy Choices guidelines for sport and recreation centres, 2016.

The guidelines aim to increase access to nutritious food and drink options while maintaining a balanced range of foods and drinks, including discretionary choices.

What has changed?

Across Maroondah City Council facilities, we have:

  • Increased access to free drinking water
  • Increased the variety of 'green' and 'amber' meals, snacks and drinks available each day, tailored to each facility
  • Reduced the availability of sugar-sweetened drinks
  • Removed energy drinks from sale
  • Placed 'green' drink options at eye level and within children’s reach
  • Reduced the use of 'red' food and drinks as prizes and incentives for children
  • Removed or limited marketing of 'red' food and drinks within our facilities
  • Introduced healthier food and drink combos for sale

Promoting CHANGE project

The Promoting CHANGE project began in 2023 with grant funding to support our commitment to the Maroondah Liveability, Wellbeing and Resilience Strategy 2021-2031. 

Promoting CHANGE is a partnership between local government, state government, academic and not-for-profit organisations. The project supports local governments to increase healthier food and drink options in council clubs and facilities using the Victorian Department of Health Healthy Choices guidelines for sport and recreation centres, 2016. 

Maroondah City Council was an intervention site for thePromoting CHANGE project from August 2023. A Health Promotion Officer supported the implementation of the Healthy Choices guidelines with the assistance of management, staff and suppliers at eight of Council's major facilities.

  1. Karralyka
  2. Aquahub
  3. Aquanation
  4. Croydon Memorial Pool
  5. Ringwood Golf
  6. Dorset Golf
  7. Maroondah Nets
  8. The Rings

Healthy Choices practices are integrated across our facilities so that equitable healthier food and drink options can continue to be offered beyond the end of the project.

Share your feedback

We welcome feedback and suggestions about the food and drink options available at participating Council facilities.

Provide feedback - Promoting CHANGE Project

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Promoting CHANGE Project commitment

Our commitment to Maroondah Liveability Wellbeing and Resilience Strategy 2021-2031

As per the Maroondah Liveability Wellbeing and Resilience Strategy 2021-2031 Council has committed to:

Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy eating: Provide leadership in healthy eating through the promotion of healthier food and drink options for Council facilities, events, spaces, and places. Work in partnership to promote healthy eating through community education, initiatives, and service delivery. Encourage and promote sustainably grown local produce, enhanced food security and facilitate social inclusion.

The importance of physical activity and good nutrition is important for a healthy lifestyle and contributes to the health and wellbeing of the community. Current research on the Maroondah municipality, residents are living with:

  • 52% of adults are living with overweight or obesity (3)
  • Less than 2% of adults eat enough fruit and vegetables within the Maroondah electorate (3)
  • 13% of adults drink sugary drinks every day (3)

Inadequate access to nutritious food and drinks is leading to a reduced quality of life, and chronic disease as well as increasing burden on the health care system.

While Council’s leisure facilities provide outstanding opportunities to encourage physical activity, the kiosks and Cafés operating within these facilities provide a range of food and drink options that do not always support healthy eating opportunities. Healthy eating has been identified as a priority area in the Victorian public health and wellbeing plan.

It is a key policy priority for the Victorian Government to encourage Victorians to consume a diet of healthy, sustainable, and safe food consistent with the Australian dietary guidelines.

[1] Healthy choices: policy guidelines for sport and recreation centres, Victorian Government, Department of Health, and Human Services, 2016, https://www.health.vic.gov.au/publications/healthy-choices-policy-guidelines-for-sport-and-recreation-centres

[2] Maroondah Liveability Wellbeing and Resilience Strategy, Healthy eating, 2021-2031

[3] Victorian Population Health Survey 2017 - https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/population-health-systems/health-status-of-victorians/survey-data-and-reports/victorian-population-health-survey/victorian-population-health-survey-2014

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Promoting CHANGE is a joint initiative led by Deakin University, in partnership with City of Greater Bendigo, City of Greater Geelong, City of Greater Shepparton, City of Merri-bek, City of Monash, City of Yarra, Maroondah City Council, Menzies School of Health Research, Monash University, Municipal Association of Victoria, Nillumbik Shire Council, Nutrition Australia (Victorian Division), Sport & Recreation Victoria, The University of Newcastle, and the Victorian Department of Health. Promoting CHANGE is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Partnership Project Grant (GNT2015440). The contents of this document are the responsibility of the authors and should not be attributed to the NHMRC

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