Set an example - by order

Hospitals and health agencies are on notice they should lead the way as the Government seeks to improve workplace eating habits.

Health officials have trained their sights on workplaces in the obesity battle, embarking on a two-year monitoring programme of cafeterias and vending machines in a bid to help transform eating habits.

The Ministry of Health's nutrition and physical activity policy, adopted in 2004, includes advice such as removing all visible fat from meat and serving chicken without the skin at ministry events, not sprinkling icing sugar over fruit and baked products, and leaving the scones unbuttered. A spread may be offered on a separate dish.

In addition, vending machines must include "at least 50 per cent healthy options", while signs by the lifts such as "there are health benefits from taking the stairs" are encouraged.

This has trickled down to the country's health boards, although results have been patchy. National Party associate health spokeswoman Jackie Blue's survey of hospital vending machines found several still had snacks and drinks high in sugar, fat and salt - weeks after the announcement of the Government's $67 million healthy lifestyles package, Mission-On.

"The irony is that our hospitals are littered with vending machines selling exactly these sorts of drinks and foods."

Auckland District Health Board has no policy on food and drinks in its 62 vending machines but a spokeswoman said the contract assessment criteria would include initiatives such as Mission-On once the contract expired next year.

The board receives $144,000 annually from suppliers Bluebird. It also has a machine selling fresh vegetable and fruit salads, although it has not proven popular.

Counties Manukau District Health Board, meanwhile, recently received a Heartbeat Challenge Award from the Auckland Regional Public Health Service for its efforts in creating a workplace environment supportive of health and wellbeing.

Spokeswoman Amanda Dunlop said the menus at its staff cafeteria had been revised to incorporate healthier items while most of the high-sugar drinks in vending machines had been replaced with diet or no-sugar drinks. Snack portion sizes and their energy content had also been reduced.

Staff participation in races such as the Round the Bays fun run are also subsidised while gym memberships for staff are discounted by up to 40 per cent or join-up fees reduced.

"As the lead agency for the Let's Beat Diabetes programme, we thought it important for us to be role models. If we are asking other workplaces and schools to make the change, we needed to lead by example."

Similar moves have been made at Waitemata District Health Board which has substituted high-sugar drinks with diet versions.

The transition, however, has not been without staff resistance.

In a newsletter last year, former chief executive Dwayne Crombie took a swipe at some staff.

"I have been most disappointed by the abusive comments from a small number of our so-called health professionals ... directed at some of our staff who implemented this change.

"Complain to me and we can discuss it, but behaviour like that is unacceptable ... and we can do without people like that at Waitemata Health."