Eat Healthy in Milton Keynes

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 13th Sep 2006

At the meeting of Milton Keynes Council on 12 September, the cabinet member for health, Councillor Irene Henderson, proposed that the Council, working closely with our partners in Eat Healthy:MK, changes the culture of poor diet in Milton Keynes by making healthy eating easier. The first step is to ensure all Council premises offer healthy eating opportunities.

The Liberal Democrat-run Council already works hard supporting campaigns to stop smoking. Now they are promoting healthy eating, which also has a major impact on the lives of people in Milton Keynes, both young and old.

Irene Henderson said: "There is not a week goes by without seeing something in the media about the effects of food on health - three dollops of fruit juice a week helps prevent Alzheimer's, a hot breakfast has a marked effect on children's behaviour, breast feeding is best, and so on.

"As Chair of Eat Healthy:MK, I have a responsibility to ensure the Council not only continues doing the good work with children but also with adults, especially those in deprived areas where fresh fruit and vegetables are hard to find. Not all the local shops on our estates have fresh fruit and vegetables for sale.

"The Council has considerable influence on people and places and needs to put its weight behind this important action," concluded Irene Henderson.