Vegie man to boost healthy eating

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28 April 2005
CP019/05

More fruit and vegetables in Australians’ diets will help protect against heart disease, lower risk of diabetes and help maintain a healthy weight, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing, Christopher Pyne, said today.

Launching the Australian Government’s new Go for 2 Fruit & 5 Veg^TM healthy eating campaign, he said: “A diet rich in fruit and vegetables will be a big step Australians can take to improve their health. In turn, this can save our health system hundreds of millions of dollars.”

At the heart of the campaign is Vegie Man, an animated media character with a composite ‘fruit and vegetable’ face. From this week he appears nationally on TV, in magazines and in grocery shopping environments, encouraging Australians to eat two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables each day.

“In 2001, 70 per cent of Australians over 12 years ate less than four serves of vegetables a day. As well, only half of us usually eat two or more serves of fruit,” Mr Pyne said.

The campaign aims to provide families with reliable, practical and consumer-friendly information on the vital importance of fruit and vegetables in the diet.

The Australian Government is investing $5 million in the advertising campaign. It aims to create awareness among parents and children aged under 17 of the importance of healthy eating to achieve a healthy lifestyle.

A second campaign, later in 2005, will promote physical activity. Both are a part of the $116 million package Building a Healthy, Active Australia, launched by the Prime Minister last year. This four-year initiative will help address the increasing problem of childhood obesity, and recognises that we need a balanced approach towards nutrition and physical activity to promote healthy habits for life.

Included in the Go for 2 Fruit & 5 Veg^TM advertising campaign will be three TV commercials, two print advertisements, recipe cards and ads for supermarket trolleys. A consumer booklet will also be distributed with support from the state and territory health departments.

The Go for 2 Fruit & 5 Veg^TM campaign was first developed and proven through market testing by the Western Australian Government. Information on Go for 2 Fruit & 5 Veg ^TM is available on www.healthyactive.gov.au

Media contact: Adam Howard 0400 414 833