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Listen to this siteThursday 6 April 2006
Minutes of the meeting
Rob Pickard
Maureen Howell
Lindsey Kearton
Jane Ludlow
Teresa Owen
David Smith
Andrea Basu
Paul Walker
Ruth Fairchild
Richard Edwards (am only)
Apologies for absence
Glenys Phelpstead
Gaynor Bussell
Anne Bull
Sue Lloyd
Jeremy Corson
Su Mably
FSA Wales
Phil Morgan (Chair)
Sarah Rowles
Lorna Thompson
Hilary Neathey
Alison Ward
Phil Morgan welcomed Alison Ward, a new member of the nutrition team at FSA Wales. Apologies had been received from Gaynor Bussell, Anne Bull, Su Mably, Jeremy Corson and Sue Lloyd. Glenys Phelpstead had recently taken up a clinical dietetic appointment and was relinquishing membership of the group. With current community dietetic representation through Andrea Basu, it was felt there was no immediate need to recruit a replacement although composition of the group from a North/South Wales perspective would be kept under review.
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The minutes of the last meeting were accepted as a true record of proceedings. Updates on actions arising from the last meeting were as follows:
(i) Maureen Howell was still to provide information concerning implementation of the revised welfare food scheme 'Healthy Start' to the secretariat for circulation to members.
Action: MH
(ii) Phil Morgan was continuing to explore the potential for translation to Welsh of a wider range of materials appearing on the Food Standards Agency website, particularly with the advent of the new 'Eatwell' site geared towards providing consumer advice on healthy eating.
Action: PM
(iii) The first report of a HIF funded, self-referral weight management pilot in Wrexham and Flintshire 'Lighten Up and Tighten Up', provided by Andrea Basu had been circulated to members.
(iv) FSA Wales had contacted the Assembly regarding monitoring of salt intake through the Welsh Health Survey. Being based primarily on a self-reported questionnaire with no biometric sampling this was deemed an unsuitable vehicle for monitoring salt intake. Discussions had been initiated to investigate the possibility of extending the urine-sampling component of the English Health Survey into Wales.
(v) Results of the FSA 2004 English School Meals Survey had been circulated to members. Results of the more recent school meals survey undertaken by Trading Standards officers in Wales would be circulated following this meeting.
Action: Secretariat
Sarah Rowles outlined the outcome of a review requested by the Assembly Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning of the existing curriculum for 5-16 year olds undertaken by the Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales (ACCAC). Recommendations for the future development focused on a skills-focused, learner-based school curriculum relevant to the 21st century and inclusive of all learners. The Minister had accepted the advice contained in this report and proposed changes to the curriculum be taken forward with the aim of the revised curriculum being first taught in September 2008.
It was proposed that the sub-group mooted at the previous meeting of this working party to consider outcomes from the review and way forward should comprise a combination of working party members with expert representation from external agencies. Ruth Fairchild and Richard Edwards were suggested as key players from the working party with David Smith and Paul Walker also expressing interest. Suggestions for external membership included Stephanie Valentine (BNF), Jenny Jupe (DATA), and Margaret Jepson (Institute of Consumer Science). Terms of reference for the sub-group would be established following its inaugural meeting and would be reported back to the next working party meeting.
The curriculum review was also being considered by the Food and Fitness Task group for Children and Young People. Care would be taken to limit overlap of effort between the two groups.
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Research into diet and health at Cardiff University
This presentation focused on two main areas of research, namely the 'Caerphilly Cohort Study' and research into the association between milk consumption and vascular risk.
The Caerphilly Cohort Study has tracked some 2,500 men aged 45-59 years enlisted 25 years ago collecting data on diet, lifestyle, and biochemical and haematological factors. Results suggest those who were breastfed as infants with birth weight below the median to have improved cognitive function.
The research into association between milk consumption and vascular disease has reviewed data from ten major cohort studies including the Caerphilly Cohort study. Overall these indicate milk consumption has a beneficial effect with associated reduction in vascular disease, enhanced growth of children and reduced osteoporosis and fracture risk. These are considered to offset the small rise in serum cholesterol level associated with milk drinking.
The secretariat agreed to circulate copies of Professor Elwoods presentations following the meeting.
Action: Secretariat
Phil Morgan was conscious that the agenda for the Working Party to date had largely been determined by the secretariat and wanted the members to play a more proactive role in directing activities of the group. He asked members for ideas on topics for discussion and views on where there were perceived gaps in information/data and how these might be addressed.
While much effort was being focused on children and young people it was felt that other groups such as those in intermediate care, the elderly and ethnic minorities were potential target groups for future action.
Phil reported on the proposed overhaul of the NDNS and the move towards an annual rolling programme with enhanced ethnic minority sampling. The potential for boosting the Welsh sample was also being considered. Preliminary results from the Welsh Health Survey were available with information at the Local Authority level anticipated later in the year.
Means of monitoring impact of strategy actions by 'other key players' needed consideration. Relevant information could be derived from the Health Social Care and Well Being Strategies, AFAL award nominations and the annual strategy implementation conferences.
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Nutrition Network for Wales
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Wales Centre for Health had been commissioned to set up and run this for the next two years. A management group was being established to oversee its development with formal launch expected by the end of the year.
Nutrition profiling and sign posting
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Written consultation was underway on this together with consumer testing and a series of workshops and stakeholder meetings to refine approach.
Food and Fitness Task Group for Children and Young People
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Three meeting of this group had been convened to date. Fifteen key priorities in community and education settings had been identified that would be considered further by the group in drafting an action plan for consultation in late spring.
Get Cooking
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A 'toolkit' was being developed for FSA Wales by BNF to enable this course to be used 'off the shelf' and made available to communities across Wales. The toolkit will build on the materials used in the pilot and will comprise a trainer's guide and various recipe cards that will be available on the FSAW website and in hard copy with launch anticipated in the spring.
AFAL awards 2005
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Following the 31 December 2004 deadline, over 40 nominations had been received. It was proposed to convene a judging panel to decide on winners and runners-up in February with a view to making formal presentation of the awards at the nutrition strategy implementation conferences planned for May.
Peer educator programme
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As part of its continuing involvement in the Assembly's 'Keep Well This Winter' campaign, FSA Wales had commissioned development of a package of guidance materials and delivery of a series of training events to equip older people to deliver healthy eating sessions to groups of other older people.
Open College Network Community Food and Nutrition Skills course
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This course was being developed by the Assembly in partnership with Community Dietitians in Wales for community food workers, nutrition assistants and people working with groups in the community such as Sure Start workers and youth workers. Pilots were planned for March/April and accreditation was being applied for.
'5 a day' campaign
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Linking with the Department of Health, the Assembly was running a 5 a Day campaign across Wales. Bilingual leaflets and postcards explaining the logo and what a portion is, were being used by the food industry, and were being distributed across Wales with a series of radio adverts promoting fruit and vegetables to be broadcast on local stations across Wales in Feb/March. The ads targeting young families and teenagers will link into the Health Challenge Wales media campaign.
An internal FSA commentary on this, supplemented by 'Eating for Health' targets from the FSA 1005-2010 Strategic Plan, had been circulated to members to underscore collaborative approach. Issues that might be relevant to 'Food and Well Being' included indication that school meals might be subject to transformation. Pilot work to investigate factors affecting choice by school children was being planned in Wales and there was potential for tapping into experience from Scotland in this field.
Following on from the campaign to reduce salt intake, the FSA was looking to reduce levels of consumption of fat and sugar. Consideration would need to be given to how effectiveness of such campaigns might be assessed in Wales.
Back to topRuth Fairchild circulated an abstract from a UWIC student looking at the cost of purchasing '5 a day' fruit and vegetables in Cardiff. This ranged from 37p to 69p per day and vitamins A and C were highest in the lower cost produce, perhaps due to increased turnover and shorter time on shelf.
Back to topIt was proposed the subgroup format was the most useful mechanism for discussing specific issues, such as the curriculum review, and that the frequency of Working Party meetings might be reduced accordingly. It was suggested the next meeting should be convened in late summer. The secretariat would canvass for dates nearer the time.
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