Darebin City Council healthy food options get YMCA backing

YMCA Victoria has praised a pilot program from Darebin City Council that aims to minimise junk food options and make healthy food more accessible at its facilities.

In 2014, YMCA Victoria launched a Healthy Food and Beverage Policy which aims to improve the health of Victorian’s by improving the availability of healthy choices at all YMCA facilities and reduce the availability of less healthy choices.

This applies at the Darebin City Council facilities managed by the YMCA: Northcote Aquatic and Recreation Centre and the Darebin Community Sports Stadium.

As part of its policy YMCA Victoria has made a commitment to remove all sugar sweetened beverages from YMCA managed community recreation centres and camps by 2017.

YMCA Advocacy Manager Stephen Bendle said YMCA Victoria commends Darebin Council for its leadership to make healthy food more accessible at council run facilities.

Bendle stated “we are excited about the potential impact of this pilot program and keen to be involved, particularly through our managed centres.

“Our organisation-wide Healthy Food and Beverage Policy is based on the Victorian Department of Health’s Healthy Choices Guidelines and we would be happy with any opportunity to share our learnings around alternative food and beverage ideas, supplier relationships and the marketing and pricing of healthier items.”

“This pilot program provides an excellent opportunity for Darebin Council to take a leadership role and to influence the eating behaviours of children and families of Darebin and have a positive impact on their health.”

The YMCA Victoria Healthy Food and Beverage Policy is being implemented over three years in more than 150 locations including community recreation centres, residential camps, youth services, disability services and children services.

Stephen Bendle wrote about the YMCA’s development of healthy eating programs in the November/December 2014 issue of Australasian Leisure Management.

Images: YMCA healthy food options (top) and the Northcote Aquatic and Recreation Centre (below).

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