New initiative promoting healthy food environments launches on Acadian Peninsula

Tracadie, February 27, 2017 – “Feed our Sport!,” a campaign to raise awareness of food choices in athletic and cultural facilities and of the important role of healthy food in athletic performance and health launched this morning at the Polyvalente W.-A. Losier in Tracadie.

This initiative is the brainchild of the Environnements alimentaires sains Péninsule acadienne Committee, which is made up of representatives of the New Brunswick Medical Society; the New Brunswick College of Family Physicians; Vitalité Health Network; the Department of Social Development; the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture; and the Réseau mieux-être Péninsule acadienne Committee.

“Feed our Sport!” is reaching out to parents, children, coaches, sports associations, and municipalities. 

“We want our target audiences to know how important it is for healthy foods to be available within our athletic and cultural facilities. The research shows that youth who engage in sports consume more junk food and sugary drinks than sedentary youth. Steps must be taken for healthy food choices to be the easiest choices to make, which is not the case everywhere,” explained Jacqueline Gallien LeBouthillier, dietitian and spokesperson for the Environnements alimentaires sains Péninsule acadienne Committee.

Four 30-second videos showcasing young athletes from the region have been produced thanks to participation by partners. The first video, featuring hockey, has been posted on the Réseau mieux-être Péninsule acadienne Facebook page and Vitalité Health Network’s Youtube page. The videos featuring swimming, soccer, and baseball will go online in March, April, and May. Furthermore, thanks to support from the Cinéma du Centre in Caraquet, these video spots will be shown before feature films.

In addition to the videos, a “Healthy Foods in Recreational Facilities” kit will be distributed to the community. This kit contains resources promoting the availability of healthy food choices in New Brunswick recreational facilities.