Health & Wellbeing

Colors: Purple Color
Colors: Purple Color

Acclaimed health care innovator Dr. Devi Shetty believes the Caribbean can become a global example of health care excellence where its citizens need not rely on outsiders to tend to their health care needs.
"We would like every child born in the Cayman Islands or (the) Caribbean region to look at becoming world-class doctors, world-class nurses, medical technicians (and) scientists," Dr. Shetty stated while attending the GREAT Festival at the Asian Society in Hong Kong in March.
Dr. Shetty, Chairman of India's Narayana Health and founder of Health City Cayman Islands, and his team of medical professionals are playing their part to build the skills of Caribbean nationals in the medical field.
Described by the Wall Street Journal as "The Henry Ford of Heart Surgery", the former physician of the late Mother Teresa said Health City plans to build a medical school, nursing school and paramedical school in the near future. "With the onset of medical college ... education institutions, the whole perspective of the younger generation will change. And that is important for the Caribbean region, important for the Cayman Islands, important for the rest of the world so that you are cared for by your own people, not outsiders," he asserted.
Dr. Shetty recalled building Health City Cayman Islands "with the idea of transforming health care of the Caribbean region and the Western Hemisphere - and perhaps the rest of the world. We have a phenomenal opportunity to use technology and make health care safer for the patient, accessible and affordable."
Speaking about the benefits of the Hong Kong event, where he highlighted Health City as an example of his mission to make high-quality, affordable health care more accessible to more people in more places, he said "this is a fantastic platform for us to show to rest of the world what we are doing, and what we are capable of doing. We need to showcase what we are doing. With the support of the government of the Cayman Islands, we built a phenomenal story. Now the rest of the world should listen to the story and possibly reproduce it."
While in Hong Kong, Dr. Shetty also met with the Cayman Islands government delegation to the conference, which included Premier Alden McLaughlin, Minister of Health Dwayne Seymour, Minister of Financial Services Tara Rivers, and Minister of Commerce Joseph Hew, in addition to other government officials from the British Overseas Territory.
Dr. Shetty was invited by event organizers to speak on "Living Longer, Living Better". He was also part of a panel discussion on the topic along with Dr. Steven Fang, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Invitrocue, and Justin Howden, Head of Government Affairs at Swisse Wellness.
The surgeon noted the huge need for greater access to health care around the world. "Globally we are spending trillions of dollars on health care annually but still hundreds of millions of people do not have access to affordable quality health care," he said.

Jaguar Land Rover Solihull has made a generous donation of £5,000 to support Solihull Hospital Charity’s appeal which is going to bring a new cancer unit to Solihull Hospital. The unit, which will form an extension of the existing Ward 19 Cancer Centre at Heartlands Hospital, will have an initial 24 patient chairs, rising to 31 within the next three years.

The donation from Jaguar Land Rover has helped Solihull Hospital Charity towards their overall goal of raising £150,000 to support this project which will see the currently empty ward transformed into a space that has been specifically designed with patients in mind. The new Chemotherapy centre is an extension to the existing Heart of England Foundation Trust Ward 19 treatment centre at Heartlands and will enable more patients to be seen in a comfortable environment

Sharon Gray, Secretary of the Jaguar Land Rover Solihull Charity Committee said: "It's a lovely part of my job when I can tell people we're making a donation to their cause. Helping towards the Chemotherapy Day Unit at Solihull Hospital is a great way for us to support our community as so many of us are touched by cancer.

Over the last two years I am proud to say that at a plant level we've donated nearly £20,000 to the hospital charity for a variety of fundraising projects. Across our workforce there is always the desire to help local organisations, especially the local hospitals".

Justine Davy, Head of Fundraising at the hospital charity said: “This is a fantastic show of support from all of the people at Jaguar Land Rover Solihull. Huge thanks go to everyone at the plant, especially those from the Charity Committee who decided to donate such a generous amount of money to support this project.

“The Chemotherapy Day Unit at Solihull Hospital will provide a great service to low risk patients from across the region who are being treated for cancer. Not only will this day unit be convenient for those who use it, but it will take the strain off Ward 19 at Heartlands Hospital.

“Generous donations such as that from Jaguar Land Rover Solihull will enable the hospital charity to support the Chemotherapy Day Unit and I would greatly encourage any other local business or community group to support the Charity’s appeal.”

For more information about this appeal, please visit heft.org.uk/cancercentre

Over 58% of smokers still try to quit without using an aid and going “cold turkey”,2 despite this being the least effective way. A PHE report highlights that public misunderstanding of the harmfulness of nicotine containing products, such as NRT and e-cigarettes, may be linked to inaccurate and confused perception of the risks of nicotine.

The risks of nicotine use are likely to be very low or negligible. NRT is safe and licenced for use in pregnancy and for people with cardio vascular disease. And there is now wide international consensus that e-cigarettes are far less harmful than smoking. It is the cocktail of deadly chemicals in cigarette smoke, including tar and carbon monoxide, which causes almost all of the harm of smoking.

Four in 10 smokers and ex-smokers incorrectly think that nicotine in cigarettes is the cause of most of the smoking-related cancer.1 Understanding of the harms of nicotine among the general population is similarly poor. In 2017:

  • only 7.5% thought that none or a very small part of the risk of smoking comes from nicotine
  • 14% thought that it was nearly all the risk
  • almost a quarter (24.2%) of the population didn’t know
The use of quit aids can greatly increase your chances of quitting successfully. Research shows that:2
  • using NRT as a quit aid, such as patches and gums, or e-cigarettes makes it one and a half times as likely you’ll succeed;
  • your chances of quitting are doubled if using a stop smoking medicine prescribed by a GP, pharmacist or other health professional;
  • expert support from a local stop smoking service gives you the best chance of quitting successfully;
  • combining quit aids with expert support makes it four times as likely you’ll stop smoking successfully.
Nigel Smith, Health and Wellbeing tobacco lead at PHE West Midlands, said: “Smoking is still the biggest cause of preventable death and illness in the West Midlands. While we have seen a positive decline in recent years, the numbers of people smoking are still worryingly high with in some parts of the region as many as 31% of adults still smoking (West Midlands average 15.4%) and up to 21% of pregnant women smoking (West Midlands average 11.8%).

“The good news is that there is free support including a range of products to help anyone wanting to quit. Visit https://www.nhs.uk/smokefree to find free advice on how to give up smoking in a way that suits you."

Professor John Newton, Director of Health Improvement at PHE said: “Misunderstanding about the risks from nicotine may be deterring smokers from using quit aids such as e-cigarettes or nicotine replacement therapies like patches and gums.

“Nicotine is addictive but it’s the many thousands of chemicals in tobacco smoke that are responsible for almost all of the harm caused by smoking. Using nicotine quit aids helps manage cravings and can be one of the solutions to helping you stop for good. Going ‘cold turkey’ is not recommended as it’s the least successful way.

“To get the most benefit, make sure you use as much nicotine replacement as you need, and for as long as you need, as this will help you stop smoking and stay smokefree. Combining quit aids with support from a stop smoking service gives the best success rates. With the wide range of aids now available, there’s never been a better time to stop.”

PHE has been supporting all NHS trusts across the country to do all they can to become truly smokefree. The Government and NHS England have both made commitments to a smokefree NHS, in the latest tobacco control plan and the NHS five year forward view.

Smoking rates are at their lowest ever level (15.5% of the adult population), but there are still nearly seven million smokers in England. Smoking kills 79,000 people in England every year,3 and for every death another 20 smokers are suffering from a smoking-related disease.

People are being encouraged to visit their local pharmacy first if they have minor health concerns – and not A&E or their GP.

NHS England's new Stay Well Pharmacy campaign calls on people, especially parents and carers of children under the age of five, to speak to their pharmacist for clinical advice about issues such as sore throats, coughs, colds, upset stomachs, teething and aches and pains.

Pharmacists are trained in managing minor illness and can assess symptoms and either recommend the best course of treatment or simply provide reassurance when a minor illness will get better on its own. And if symptoms suggest it’s something more serious, they have the right clinical training to ensure people get the help they need.

Most people live within easy reach of a pharmacy, many of which offer extended opening hours in the evenings and at weekends. Most community pharmacies also have a private consultation room, suitable for confidential conversations if needed.

Councillor Paul Sweet, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: "Pharmacists are qualified healthcare professionals who are the right people to see if you need clinical advice or over the counter medicines to help safely manage a wide range of minor health concerns.

"Using a pharmacy first where appropriate will help free up GP time for more urgent appointments and reduce non-emergency A&E visits."

Severn Trent has hosted its annual Health Liaison Day, in which the company invites more than 100 professional bodies to talk about innovation and water quality.

The FTSE 100 Company welcomed health professionals, water quality experts, members of local authorities and colleagues from other water companies to the event in Sutton Coldfield, which is designed to promote discussion and share knowledge around the water industry.

Scott Ludford from Severn Trent, who organised and hosted the event, said: “It’s brilliant to have so many people with different expertise in one room who are willing, and keen, to share and discuss knowledge and ideas.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase some of the great work we do at Severn Trent, as well as taking advantage of having so many experts together at the same time. Building great relationships within our industry is vital, so we’re really thankful to those who attended and took part to help make the day as successful as it was.”

Among the attendees were Public Health England and Wales, the Drinking Water Inspectorate and the Consumer Council for Water, as well as local authorities within the company’s region, which covers the majority of the Midlands and mid-Wales.

The company delivered various presentations around new innovative technology it’s using, as well as showcasing the ways it’s looking to improve water quality.

“The water sector is constantly evolving, so days like this are really valuable in making sure we’re sharing innovative ideas and learning from each other so we can continue to provide a great, reliable service for our customers now and in the future.” Scott added.

Paul Quinn, Local Consumer Advocate for the Consumer Council for Water, who attended the event, said: "It was great to witness Severn Trent and public health professionals generously sharing their experiences, knowledge and innovative ideas to help ensure that current and future consumers can have confidence in the safety and wholesomeness of their tap water."

Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam recently earned a perfect score of 100 on a surprise routine United States Public Health (USPH) inspection conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Zuiderdam’s score follows sister ship Eurodam’s December 2017 score of 100, continuing that ship’s six-year run of perfect scores.

Zuiderdam’s unannounced USPH inspection was held Jan. 27, 2018, during a turnaround at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the start of an 11-day Panama Canal and Caribbean cruise. Over the past four years, several Holland America Line ships have achieved a perfect score of 100 more than 23 times.

“Everyone involved with these inspections works incredibly hard to achieve that perfect score, and it’s especially difficult on a turnaround day when there’s so much happening on board,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “A score of 100 carries significant magnitude, and we congratulate the entire team aboard Zuiderdam for this accomplishment.”

CDC inspections are part of the Vessel Sanitation Program, which was introduced in the early 1970s and is required for all passenger ships that call at a U.S. port. The inspections are unannounced and are carried out by officials from the United States Public Health Service twice a year for every cruise ship.

The score, on a scale from one to 100, is assigned on the basis of a checklist involving dozens of areas of assessment encompassing hygiene and sanitation of food (from storage to preparation), overall galley cleanliness, water, shipboard personnel and the ship as a whole.

As the world prepares to mark World Cancer Day on Sunday 4 February, the UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA) says it is vital asbestos related cancers like Mesothelioma are not forgotten. While cancer is the biggest killer worldwide, mesothelioma is the UKs biggest workplace killer, with HSE figures showing 2,542 deaths in 2015 alone and over 5,000 asbestos related deaths from cancer in this period.

 

“UKATA strongly supports the battle to beat cancer, yet among 200 cancer types, mesothelioma remains a hidden killer,” said UKATA Marketing & Events Officer Victoria Castelluccio. “Asbestos related lung cancers make up 40 per cent of lung diseases in the HSE figures and the frightening thing is, these rates are projected to remain the same for the next decade. In females in the UK, mesothelioma is the 20th most common cause of cancer death! This is one of the reasons UKATA supports Mesothelioma UK, the Mavis Nye Foundation and others working to support victims and raise awareness of the dangers.”

 

World Cancer Day from Cancer Research UK aims to unite everyone in the fight against cancer, with donations supporting scientists, doctors and nurses and improving survival rates. In December, Victoria attended the opening of Mesothelioma UK’s new headquarters; as part of UKATA’s commitment to the cause. Victoria says the reasons asbestos related cancers need to be high on the agenda are stark.

 

What’s romance without a bit of banter, competition and fun?

As romantic as it might be to book a candlelit dinner at a fancy restaurant, or to buy the usual bouquet of flowers, or chocolates, that can make Valentine’s Day celebrations super predictable. Why not quit being conventional and surprise your other half with an exciting alternative? A trip to The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience!

If you’re a couple that prefers not to spend the 14th February doing the usual mushy activities, are die-hard fans of the iconic 90s show, or if you just enjoy a challenge and taking the micky out of each other, then this is the perfect way to celebrate this Valentine’s.

To share the love The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience is also offering 15 couples who have been married more than 15 years, and therefore celebrating their Crystal anniversary, the chance to win a pair of free* tickets to its attraction in Manchester or London.

Whether you’re a couple seeking alternative ways to have fun this Valentine’s, or a group of mates trying to avoid all things hearts and romance, teams of eight will be lead around the maze’s four themed zones: Aztec, Medieval, Industrial and Futuristic, by a charismatic Maze Master.

Inside each zone are different challenges: skill, physical, mental and mystery and it’s up to your team captain to decide who takes on which challenge with the ultimate goal of winning a crystal. Each crystal won means more time in the iconic dome, where the aim is to catch enough golden tickets to bag yourself a spot on the coveted leader board!

Spend this Valentine’s lost in The Crystal Maze rolling around with laughter, running and even crawling to get to the Crystal dome at the end as the whole experience is hilariously entertaining from start to finish.

With news of the flu being a hot topic right now, Hallfield School in Edgbaston put on a special assembly teaching youngsters all about germs and the importance of hygiene.

This morning, school nurse, Mrs Florance, took over the Pre-Prep assembly to talk about germs, where they are, and how we can stop them from spreading.

They discussed the importance of washing your hands and a number of volunteers assisted in explaining the steps on how to do it thoroughly.

Mrs Florance rounded off the assembly with a song ‘If you’re happy and you know it wash your hands.’

Speaking of the assembly, Mrs Florance said: “The flu has affected a lot of people across the country this year so we thought it was crucial that we teach our younger children how to stay safe by preventing germs from getting into out bodies.

“Washing hands regularly with soap and warm water could limit the spread of germs and reduce the risk of catching the flu.

 “This winter’s outbreak is reported to be 16 times more severe than last year’s so it really is worrying.”

Aussie flu is on the rise in the UK with Government data showing 4,128 people being struck down across England last week, compared to 3,044 new cases the week before.

Anne Oliver, Head of Pre-Prep at Hallfield School, said: “It's not just parents who cultivate habits of cleanliness in children, we realise that teachers have a responsibility to teach and reinforce hygiene habits too.

“It's vital that children understand the importance of hygiene and washing your hands so they can lead healthier lives.”

National estate agents Leaders has confirmed Teenage Cancer Trust as its new charity partner for 2018 and announced it plans to raise £50,000 for the good cause.

The property firm will work with Teenage Cancer Trust over the next 12 months to fundraise and raise awareness of its invaluable work in supporting the thousands of young people in the UK aged between 13 and 24 who are diagnosed with cancer each year.

Teenage Cancer Trust provides expert staff and specialist units across the UK to care for young people diagnosed with cancer. Currently, almost half of young people with cancer are not treated in Teenage Cancer Trust units, so the charity is building a wider nursing and support service within the NHS to help all young people, wherever they receive treatment.

Allison Thompson, managing director at Leaders, says: “Every day, seven young people aged between 13 and 24 are diagnosed with cancer and it is only thanks to the work of Teenage Cancer Trust that they have specialist support, advice and care available to them.

“The unique support the charity offers makes a huge difference to the young people they help, and their families, but unfortunately there are still some young people they simply cannot reach. I know all our staff at Leaders are ready to get behind Teenage Cancer Trust and use their imagination and hard work to fundraise on its behalf in 2018 and hopefully we can go a small way towards helping the charity realise its aim of ensuring no young person has to face cancer alone.”

Sian Cooper, regional fundraiser at Teenage Cancer Trust, says: “Right now, for every young person that we reach, there is another that we can’t. We’re determined to reach every young person with cancer in the UK and with Leaders’ help, we can get steps closer to making this happen. We can’t thank the staff enough for choosing to support us in 2018 and we’re so excited to be working with them and see the amazing ways they get involved to support young people with cancer.”

With Teenage Cancer Trust set to receive Leaders’ support in 2018, it marks the end of the company’s previous partnership with Together for Short Lives that saw it raise approximately £150,000 for the children’s hospice charity in the last three years.

 

It’s not too late for people to get protected against flu and help themselves Stay Well This Winter, with free vaccinations available to people from at risk groups.

A mix of flu types, including the strain dubbed Aussie flu which first appeared last winter in the UK and then in Australia, are currently in circulation in the region, and people who have not yet had their vaccinations are being urged to do so as soon as possible.

Dr Helen Carter, Deputy Director at Public Health England (PHE) West Midlands, said: “Our data shows that more people are visiting GPs with flu symptoms and we are seeing more people admitted to hospitals with the flu.

“The vaccine is the best defence we have against the spread of flu and it isn’t too late for people to go to their GP or pharmacist and get vaccinated – especially those in risk groups including those aged 65 and over, pregnant women, young children or those with a long-term medical condition.”

Councillor Paul Sweet, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “Several million people get flu each winter, and while for most healthy people, recovering from flu can take roughly a week, for those who are more vulnerable it can be very dangerous and even life-threatening.

“The message is clear; please get the flu vaccine now because it’s better late than never.

“The vaccine is free if you are in one of the at-risk groups, and even if you are not, you can still arrange to get your vaccination for a small charge from many local pharmacies.”

Symptoms of flu include the sudden onset of fever, cough, sore throat, aching muscles and joints. The best advice is to rest, keep warm and drink plenty of water. Health chiefs also recommend people take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower high temperatures and relieve aches if necessary.

People suffering from flu-like symptoms should catch coughs or sneezes in tissues and bin them immediately, wash their hands regularly with soap and warm water and frequently clean surfaces to stop the spread of flu.

It is also important that people with symptoms of flu avoid unnecessary contact with others. Anyone concerned about their symptoms should instead stay at home and contact their GP or call NHS 111 to seek further advice.

Providing flu vaccinations is part of the Stay Well This Winter campaign, a joint initiative from NHS England and Public Health England to help the public ward off common winter illnesses. Please visit www.nhs.uk/staywell for more information.

Health chiefs are encouraging families in Wolverhampton to help children reduce their sugar intake by choosing healthier snacks.

It comes as new data shows youngsters in England are eating nearly three times the recommended amount of sugar.

Half the sugar children and young people consume comes from snacks and sugary drinks, and too much can cause serious health problems, painful tooth decay and harmful fats building up inside the body.

To help people reduce the amount of sugar their children are consuming and choose healthier snacks while shopping, Public Health England’s Change4Life campaign has this week unveiled a simple mantra: "Look for 100 calorie snacks, two a day max!".

Parents can sign up to the Change4Life website – www.nhs.uk/change4life – to receive money-off vouchers for healthier snacks and helpful tips, while primary school age children will receive a leaflet over the next few weeks packed with healthier snacking ideas and fun activities.

An updated Change4Life Food Scanner app is also being launched, bringing labels to life and showing just how much sugar, salt and saturated fat is inside everyday snacks, foods and drinks. It can be downloaded for free from the iTunes store or Google Play.

Councillor Paul Sweet, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “We have a well-documented issue with weight problems among children and young people – as well as adults – in Wolverhampton.

“Just over a quarter of our 10-year-olds are classed as obese compared to just under a fifth nationally, and this is something the council and its partners are determined to address.

“While eating well and in moderation is ultimately down to the individual, it is the responsibility of parents and carers to ensure their children enjoy a balanced, healthy diet and to reduce the amount of sugar they are consuming.

“I welcome Public Health England’s latest Change4Life campaign; it will help families make healthier choices and I’d urge parents to try out the free tools and resources which are available online."

The fry up is getting a makeover as Waitrose launches new meat sausages which are also packed with up to 35% fruit, vegetables or pulses. The sausages have been developed for shoppers looking to reduce their meat intake. Added ingredients include lentils, cauliflower and kale.

The range is one of the supermarket's new healthier food launches for 2018 which also includes sandwiches made with omelette in place of bread, edamame noodles and miso balls, all of which add protein to your diet.

The products will also carry the new Waitrose 'Good Health' label which has been designed to make it easier for shoppers to make healthier choices, and which is being introduced across a range of products from this week.

Along with the sausages (which include a Pork, Butternut Squash & Kale flavour), shoppers' midweek favourites - meatballs and mince - have been boosted with nutritious ingredients too.  Recipes include Harissa Chicken, Cauliflower Rice & Chickpea Meatballs which provide a source of fibre.

For those not wanting to stray too far from the traditional, the retailer is also launching Cumberland Chipolatas and Beef Mince, but with added mixed pulses including pinto beans and green lentils).

High protein foods are fast growing in popularity with gym goers. And Waitrose has revamped its sandwich range to include a wrap which, in place of a normal tortilla, uses omelette. The egg means the sandwich is high in protein which helps muscles grow, as part of a healthy balanced diet. The Protein Power Chicken and Chorizo Wrap sits alongside two new vegan sandwiches -  Vegan Mean Greens and the Sweet Potato and Chipotle Sandwich - helping to meet the growing demand for vegan food.

Healthier twists have been given to the Waitrose stir fry range, too. Shoppers can now swap regular noodles for edamame ones, which have five times the fibre and three times the protein of a standard egg noodle.  They follow the trend for customers wanting easy yet healthier swaps for traditional ingredients.

Waitrose is also offering Mushroom and Miso Stir Fry Bites, which will appeal to vegetarians, vegans and flexitarians. They can be added as a meat replacement in Asian dishes and are a source of fibre and high in protein.

Nathalie Winn, Waitrose Senior Nutritionist says, “We've recently found that a third of shoppers* find it difficult to know which foods to choose for a healthy diet. Our new label will help busy customers find the healthier options on our shelves.  Introducing more creative options to your diet such as meat sausages packed with veggies will keep mealtimes interesting and help keep healthy resolutions on track.”

The new 'Good Health' label will show on many of the supermarket's own-brand products, from fresh produce, juices and smoothies to store cupboard essentials including pulses and grains. Every product carrying the Good Health label has been assessed by a team of nutritionists and meet strict criteria based on government guidelines for fat, saturated fat, added sugar and salt, and so won't appear on products with red traffic lights, apart from where the fats and sugars are naturally occurring.

The nutritional benefits of the products will be clearly signposted on packaging, including claims such as whether they're high in, or a source of, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients - as well as information on how this in turn benefits health.

Indicators such as 'high in fibre', 'Source of Vitamin D' and '1 of your 5 a day' will help customers to make healthier choices.

As part of a wider approach to help colleagues and customers on health, Tesco has today stepped up plans to help make healthier choices a little easier for shoppers by backing the first Public Health England Change4Life campaign to promote healthier snacking for children.

Building on the success of Tesco's 2017 'Little Helps to Healthier Living' campaign which saw the biggest monthly increase in the healthiness of their customers' baskets, the new initiative will help parents, shopping in-store and online, choose affordable healthier snacks that are 100 calories or less.

The campaign, which runs for the month of January, will appear in all Tesco stores and online at Tesco.com. It includes in-store point of sale promotional materials of healthier kids' snacks featuring Change4Life branding. The snacks – which include Pink Lady Apple Snack Packs, Goodness Strawberry Cereal bars and Tesco Pineapple Pieces in Juice 120g – will be available at everyday low prices.

Online, Tesco will use innovative technology in partnership with SpoonGuru to allow customers to quickly and simply find 130 healthier snacks containing 100 calories or less.

Support for the Change4Life healthier snacking campaign is part of Tesco's integrated approach to help colleagues and customers at a time of the year when healthier eating is front of mind. Other key initiatives include:

  • Helpful 'little swaps' – at the front of all large stores a helpful basket comparison will highlight ten 'little swaps' that are lower in sat fat, salt and sugar. Taken together the ten little swaps will be 18% lower in price than the less healthy alternative basket. Additionally, 60 healthier alternatives will be highlighted under a 'Helpful Little Swaps' banner in-store and online.
  • Weekly Little Helps – each week in January Tesco will offer lower prices on fresh fruit and vegetables in store and online, including apples, avocados and salad tomatoes.
  • Food Love Stories advertising – Tesco will promote the recipe for 'Nana's Magic Soup', offering 2 of your 5 a day per portion, on TV and offer 25% off all ingredients – alongside other Food Love Stories spanning all meal occasions, offering inspiration on healthier cooking.
  • Free Fruit for Kids – increased communication of Tesco's pioneering Free Fruit for Kids scheme in stores which has seen kids enjoy over 32 million pieces of fruit since launch in 2017.
Matt Davies CEO for UK and ROI said:

“We know that our customers want us to help them eat more healthily and it can be particularly difficult to encourage children to eat healthy snacks. By promoting a wide range of snacks, aligned with Public Health England's campaign, we hope to make it easier for families to make a healthier start to the year. This is part of a wider programme to help our colleagues and customers stay healthy.”

Duncan Selbie, Chief Executive of Public Health England, said:

“Half of the sugar children eat and drink is coming from unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks. The Change4Life campaign is our way of giving parents a helping hand to make healthier choices for their children. We highly value Tesco's support for Change4Life and its wider efforts to make it simpler to eat healthily.”

Over-40s are turning to healthier lifestyles with more than half rating themselves as more health conscious than they were in their mid-20s, according to new research1 by life and pensions giant Prudential.

Nearly one in five (17 per cent) of working over-40s say they are physically fitter than they were in their mid-20s, the nationwide study shows. And the fitness bug even applies to older age groups with 11 per cent of over-65s reckoning they are physically fitter than in their mid-20s.

The nationwide study asked over-40s to rate themselves now compared with their mid-20s and found 53 per cent believe they have a healthier general lifestyle now. However, being happier with their lifestyle than in their mid-20s does not necessarily translate into all aspects of their lives according to the research which asked about career, finances and relationships.

Just 45 per cent of over-40s feel happier about their financial planning for retirement than in their mid-20s while a worried 36 per cent admit to feeling less positive about retirement planning than in their mid-20s. Over-40s are most positive about financial security and relationships now compared with in their mid-20s.

Kirsty Anderson, retirement expert at Prudential, said: “Growing older means changing attitudes and it is striking that more than half of over-40s believe that they are healthier now than in their mid-20s, with nearly one in five claiming to be fitter.

“As they earn more and save more it is good to see they feel more financially secure but it’s worrying that so many are less positive about retirement planning especially as many will be fast approaching retirement.

“Taking control of finances is not as daunting as it seems if people focus on a range of small steps such as saving as much as possible, and if people can adopt healthier lifestyles over-40 they can do the same with their retirement plans.”

The commitment to healthier lifestyles does not always translate into taking exercise – around 30 per cent admit they either rarely if ever exercise for 20 minutes or only do it once a month. However, a committed 22 per cent say they exercise for 20 minutes every day.

New Change4Life campaign encourages parents in the West Midlands region to “Look for 100 calorie snacks, 2 a day max” to cut children’s sugar intake.

Public Health England (PHE) is helping parents in the West Midlands take control of their children’s snacking by launching the first Change4Life campaign promoting healthier snacks. This is because half of children’s sugar intake, currently around 7 sugar cubes a day[1], comes from unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks[i], leading to obesity and dental decay.

Recent data show childhood obesity has reached alarming rates, with 24.2% of 4- to 5-year-olds (Reception Year) overweight or obese in the West Midlands region, increasing to 37.1% in 10 to 11-year olds (Year 6).2

Each year children in are consuming almost 400 biscuits; more than 120 cakes, buns and pastries; around 100 portions of sweets; nearly 70 of both chocolate bars and ice creams; washed down with over 150 juice drink pouches and cans of fizzy drink.1 On average, children are consuming at least 3 unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks a day, with around a third consuming 4 or more.1 The overall result is that children consume three times more sugar than is recommended. [ii]

The new Change4Life campaign encourages parents in West Midlands region to    “Look for 100 calorie snacks, 2 a day max” to help them purchase healthier snacks than the ones they are currently. Parents will be signposted and given special offers on a range of healthier snacks, including fruit and vegetables at selected supermarkets. They can also get money-off vouchers to help them try healthier snack options, including malt loaf, lower sugar fromage frais, and drinks with no added sugar.

Many of the unhealthy snacks children consume regularly are high in sugar and also typically high in calories, for example:

  • an ice-cream contains around 175 calories
  • a pack of crisps contains around 190 calories
  • a chocolate bar contains around 200 calories
  • a pastry contains around 270 calories[iii]
The “100 calorie snacks, 2 a day max” tip applies to all snacks apart from fruit and vegetables, as children should also be encouraged to eat a variety of these to achieve their 5 A Day.

Dr Lola Abudu, PHE West Midlands Director of Health and Wellbeing, said: “Changing our children’s snacking habits can be a real challenge and we want to make it easier for families to find healthier options. By asking parents to Look for 100 calories snacks, two a day max, we’re helping them to give heathier snacks, while giving them less frequently.”

Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England, said: “The true extent of children’s snacking habits is greater than the odd biscuit or chocolate bar. Children are having unhealthy snacks throughout the day and parents have told us they’re concerned. To make it easier for busy families, we’ve developed a simple rule of thumb to help them move towards healthier snacking – Look for 100 calories snacks, two a day max.”

PHE’s improved Change4Life ‘Food Scanner’ app also shows parents how many calories, sugar, salt and saturated fat is in their food to help make healthier choices easier. It can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.

With a third of children leaving primary school overweight or obese4, tackling obesity requires wider action and is not just limited to individual efforts from parents. PHE is working with the food industry nationally to cut 20% of sugar from the products children consume most by 2020, with work to reduce calories due to start in 2018.

Families can get tips for healthier snacking when Public Health England’s (PHE) Change4Life roadshow comes to the West Midlands in the New Year, as part of a nationwide tour taking in 30 supermarkets and 14 shopping centres. The roadshow will start by visiting Walsall on Monday 8 January, then Dudley on Tuesday 9 January, followed by Sandwell on Wednesday 10 January – with more dates to follow though into February.

The roadshow will encourage parents to “Look for 100 calorie snacks, two a day max” and provide demonstrations of the new Change4Life ‘Food Scanner’ app, which works by scanning barcodes and helping bring food labels to life by highlighting the number of calories, as well as how much sugar, saturated fat and salt is in everyday food and drinks children consume.

During the roadshows families will also be shown how to swap to healthier snack options using front of pack ‘traffic light’ labels. On the day, parents can sign up to Change4Life for additional support and money-off vouchers to help them try healthier snack options, including malt loaf, lower sugar fromage frais, and drinks with no added sugar.

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