Supermarket health scheme to get to the heart of the matter

AN INITIATIVE to highlight healthier food choices for shoppers will take place in the island's supermarkets as part of this year's Healthy Hearts Month.

The Health Promotion Unit has organised the Healthy Eating for your Heart shopping tours during the annual campaign.

Health promotions officer Gerry Le Roy said today's lifestyles were encouraging people to eat unhealthily.

'Heart disease remains the major cause of death and disability in Guernsey, affecting both men and women of all ages and backgrounds,' said Mrs Le Roy.

'Our lives are leaning towards more convenient lifestyles, making us inactive and reliant on high-fat or high-sugar foods, so increasing the risk of developing coronary heart disease,' she said.

The tours will be led by a qualified 'healthy lifestyle' tutor at the Channel Islands Co-operative Society's Grand Marche and St Sampson's stores.

The scheme aims to help participants make informed choices about food shopping through better understanding of labels and fat and sugar content. The simple changes which can be made to reduce those levels and increase fibre intake will be discussed during the free half-hour sessions.

'We are very pleased with the interest we have received at the launch,' said Mrs Le Roy.

'We are hoping that lots of people will sign up for the following sessions, which will run with small groups of people on a half-hourly basis.'

The groups will be taught about the 'traffic light' labelling system on packaging that tells consumers of the healthier and less healthy choice foods.

For further information about taking part, call the Health Promotion Unit on 707311.

Tours will take place at St Martin's Cooperative Society's Grand Marche store starting at 10am and 2pm on Thursday and Saturday 20 September.

Other tours will be held at the Cooperative's Locale store in St Sampson's between the same times on Monday 15 September.