ADMINISTRATION UNVEILS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND NUTRITION PLAN

Aug 27 - Lt. Governor Aiona is playing a leading role in efforts by the Administration to improve the health of Hawai`i residents.

The Lt. Governor helped release the first statewide Hawai`i Physical Activity and Nutrition Plan during an event at Washington Place.

The plan serves as a guide to help residents make choices intended to reduce the risk of diabetes, heart problems and other chronic diseases that contribute to greater health-care costs.

"To achieve goals for healthy living, we need to re-think how our individual behavior is influenced by the structure of our communities, workplaces and schools," Lt. Governor Aiona said. "We have to change the options available around us so that they support healthy behaviors."

According to the latest figures from state health officials, 1 in 5 people in Hawai`i were considered obese in 2005. According to a national study, Hawai`i's obesity rate is the 47th lowest in the nation.  At the same time, heart disease remains the state's leading cause of death, killing more than 2,200 people in 2005.

"The fact that we're ranked well nationally does not mean anything," Lt. Governor Aiona said. "Let's focus on what we're doing here in Hawai`i and where we stand - here in Hawai`i."

That commitment is underscored by the Hawai`i Physical Activity and Nutrition Plan, which grew out of a series of meetings held over a six-month period between October 2005 and April 2006. The meetings focused on developing strategies for the state's physical activity and nutrition plan.

Among them is urging employers to establish wellness policies that encourage healthy food choices and physical activity. Also, the plans call for the state government to invest money for school nutrition programs so that school lunches are healthier.

"We must all work together to eat healthier and take part in more physical activity," Lt. Governor Aiona said.