Dr Jewell said investment in measures to make it easier for people to live healthily, such as providing more opportunities to walk or cycle, and to choose locally-sourced fresh foods rather than processed foods, will both help protect people from disease and help Wales become a more sustainable place to live.

As part of Wales’ first Sustainability Week, the Chief Medical Officer highlighted a number of measures the Assembly Government has introduced to improve health, including:

• Our Healthy Future -  Wales’ first strategic framework for public health renews the Assembly Government’s commitment to improve the quality and length of life and ensure that everyone in Wales has a fair chance to lead a healthy life by reducing health inequalities;
• Creating An Active Wales – aims to make it easier for people to choose to become more physically active. This includes more walking and cycle routes but also consideration of redesigning the way towns and villages are developed to make it easier to walk rather than use the car;
• Change4Life – aims to help families eat well, move more and live longer by providing fun, practical ideas to improve their eating habits including advice on ‘me size’ meal portions. Since it was launched in Wales in March, more than 8,500 parents have returned application forms to receive free, personalised action plans giving tips on how to improve their health; and,
• Expansion of the award-winning community food co-operatives which aim to use as much locally-produced food as possible. Some 248 co-operatives are running in Wales, providing fruit and vegetables to about 6,500 families. The co-operatives, which support six growers, 20 retailers and 16 wholesalers, provide an affordable way of helping people get their 'five-a-day' and by buying locally, people can help local farmers and businesses and reduce the amount of food miles.

Dr Jewell said:

“Many people consider sustainability to be an environmental issue, and while that is a crucial part of it, we in the Assembly Government have a legal duty to consider sustainability in everything we do.

“Sustainable development is about the long-term well-being of people and communities.

“By educating people about healthy lifestyle and diets and making it easier for people to make healthy lifestyle choices, we will help them feel better and reduce the burden on the NHS. Of course people walking and cycling instead of using the car will have health and environmental benefits.

“Ill-health not only has personal consequences for individuals, but also families, communities and public services.

“We all have a duty to play our part in this by taking personal responsibility for our own, and our families, health and well-being. By placing greater emphasis on preventing health problems, we all can help the NHS to continue to provide the highest quality care and support.

“Assembly Government and NHS officials have been working to consider what action is required by the NHS to respond to the challenges of climate change and sustainable development.

"The Health Minister has announced that an exercise will be undertaken to identify the carbon footprint of the NHS. We have also been working on how we will manage with potentially warmer summers, although we haven’t seen them in recent years. A plan has been developed to alert health, social care and other agencies of heat waves to reduce the risks of extreme heat on health.”

http://wales.gov.uk/newsroom/healthandsocialcare/2010/100520sustainable/...