Northern suburbs residents backed to eat better to feel better

DIETICIANS are throwing their support behind northern suburbs residents to help them eat better to feel better.

It comes as the Dieticians Association of Australia launches Australia’s Healthy Weight Week from February 13 to 19.

As part of this, Edith Cowan University’s student and accredited practising dieticians will be offering free weight and height assessments for community members at the Joondalup campus’s Sport and Fitness Centre on Wednesday and Thursday from 10am.

This year’s message is to ‘make small changes towards smart eating, starting with cooking at home more often’.

Accredited practising dietician Associate Professor Philippa Lyons-Wall said research showed home cooking was linked with healthier habits such as eating smaller portions and more fruit and vegetables and fewer visits to fast food restaurants.

She said by improving skills in home cooking, Australians could increase their vegetable intake by more than half a serve a day.

“Being a weight that’s healthy for you will help lower your risk of lifestyle-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer and importantly, helps you to feel your best and live life to the full,” she said.

For more information, go to www.healthyweightweek.com.au.