Dr. Muireann Cullen

NHF manager

What is the Nutrition and Health

Foundation?

Multi-stakeholder organisation

Funded by the Food & Beverage Industry

Communicates evidence-based

information on nutrition, health

and physical activity to

encourage an improved and

healthier society in Ireland.

NHF

mission

statement

What makes the NHF different?

• Multi-stakeholder group

• Extensive consumer understanding (knowledge)

delivered through membership

• Scientific knowledge delivered through membership

• Facilitation of balanced/evidence based consumer

research allows NHF initiatives to focus on

consumer needs/wants

• Active partnership with Government/non

government agencies and academics

Who are the

stakeholders?

Non industry

• Bord Bia

• Bord Iascaigh Mhara

• Department of Education

and Science

• Dublin City University

• Enterprise Ireland

• Exercise & Sports Science

Association of Ireland

• Irish Nutrition and Dietetic

Institute

• Irish Society for Chartered

Physiotherapists

• Irish Universities

Nutrition Alliance

• Loughlinstown Hospital

• National Dairy Council

• safeFood

• St Angela’s College,

Sligo

• Teagasc’s Food

Research Centre,

Ashtown

• University College

Dublin

• University College Cork

Industry

• Brennan’s Bakeries

• Britvic Ireland

• Cadbury Ireland Ltd

• Coca Cola Bottlers

Ireland

• Danone Ireland

• Dawn Farm Foods

• Glanbia Consumer Foods

• GlaxoSmithKline

• Kelkin

• Kellogg Company of

Ireland

• Kepak Convenience

Foods

• Kerry Foods

• Kraft Foods Ireland

• Mars Food Ireland

• PepsiCo Ireland

• Unilever Ireland

How the NHF works

• Based and relies on

Contribution from all supporters is essential

–All activities must be agreed by all stakeholders

• Ensure NHF messages complement those of

government and other stakeholders

• Does not speak for, defend or lobby on behalf of the

food industry

• Work of behalf of all NHF members

Multi-stakeholder, partnership

approach

NHF Strategic Objectives

1. Consumer Understanding

2. Communication

3. Government/non government

4. Developing the NHF

1. Consumer Understanding

• NHF/Pigsback 2009 – weight management practices

– data released in near future

• NHF/DIT – life skills module for new entry level

students (to commence in current academic year)

• IUNA Teenagers Survey 2008 (funding)

• Motivational Aspects of Behavioural Change 2007

• Lifestyle behaviour change for General Practice

(funding & advisory) 2006/7 – completed 2009

• Health and Lifestyle Research 2005

2. Communication (a)

Website:

NHFinitiatives/workplacewellbeing

campaign

• Workplace wellbeing campaign (WWC)

• Free comprehensive information & advice

designed to promote good nutrition & physical activity in

work - Encourages positive changes to food & exercise habits

• Over 101,000 employees involved to date

(seminar 08 - 67,000)

• Case studies: Canada Life – 4 themed weeks in year

2. Communication (b)

• WWC Evaluation

Examination of WWC effectivess at employer level

71.5

50

83.3 85.771.4

100

63

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

aiding C

SR

aiding H

&S

boost sta

ff m

orale

impro

ve st

aff re

tentio

n

incre

ase p

roducti

vity

nice to

do

reduce

abse

nteeism

reasons for WWC implementation

% v

ery

effe

ctiv

e/ef

fect

ive Effectiveness of WWC at personal level

7.9 10.5

54.1

21.1

57.9

39.545.9 42.1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

diet exercise lifestyle social

interaction

with

colleaguesareas of change

% c

ha

ng

e

minor change

major change

2. Communication (c)

• PR activities• Monthly press releases based on core messages

• Unsolicited requests for opinions - NHF brand is becoming

known

• Newsletter to communicate the work of NHF to stakeholders

• Exercise focused competition with 2FM

• Eat Smart week - healthy eating easy & not boring, Derry

Clarke of L’Ecrivian develops recipes

• New Website

• Launched July 2008

• Provides advice and information on nutrition & physical

activity

• Doubling – tripling in number of visits

www.nhfireland.ie

3. Government/Non government

• Membership of the Inter-sectoral Group on the

Implementation of the Recommendations of the

National Task Force on Obesity

• Presentation to the Joint Oireachtas Committee

on Health and Children

• Meetings with Ministers and TDs

• Advocacy role; government on NHF & partnership with

NHF

• Meetings with Key Opinion Leaders

2009

achievement

4. Developing the NHF

• New stakeholders since last seminar

NHF

Kerry Foods

Kelkin

Prof. Donal

O’ Shea

Ruth Yoder

Prof. Niall

Moyna

Loughlinstown Hospital

What are the benefits of

membership?

Single proactive

voice

Scientific evidence

based approach

Joined up thinking

Inform debate

Demonstrating Corporate

Social Responsibility

Benefits of

NHF

membership

Deliver a

credible

message

Nutrition &

physical

activity

Balance in

obesity

debate

Act in

partnership,

Exchange of

ideas, all

stakeholders

meet

NHF

initiatives

such as

WWC

Impartial

information

Key Considerations

• Essential:

• Everyone working together & looking in the

same direction

• Cohesive approaches to research & public

health campaigns/initiatives

• Recognition that everyone has responsibility to

help the consumer make better lifestyle choices

(including consumer)

Example re Physical inactivity

• 59% of Irish adults (Slán, 2007),

75% of 9 yr olds (Growing up in Ireland, 2009)

– don’t meet recommendations

• UK CMO (2004) - physical inactivity costs

€8.9 bn (11% health budget) .

• Ireland - similar levels of physical inactivity,

2009 health budget €16.3 bn = €1.8

bn/year.

Example re Physical inactivity

– Circulatory system diseases (inclu CHD & strokes) main killers in

Ireland 35% of all deaths (CSO, 2006)

22-23%12-13%

World Health Organisation, 2002

Energy IN Energy OUT

Balance is the Key to health

Further information

Dr. Muireann Cullen

muireann.cullen@ibec.ie

01 605 1570 / 087 912 66 54

www.nhfireland.ie