The Nova Scotia Alliance for Healthy Eating and Physical Activity is an agency of individuals with an interest in promoting healthy eating and physical activity for overall health.  This Alliance was established collaboratively by Cancer Care Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness in 2000 in response to a report on the Cost of Obesity in Nova Scotia.

In 2000, the cost of obesity in Nova Scotia was estimated at $120 million per year in direct health care costs, and as much as $250 million per year when costs such as lost productivity are included. Several social trends were identified as the root cause for an estimated 1,000 deaths in Nova Scotia:

•A junk food explosion
•A more sedentary lifestyle
•Higher rates of stress and overwork
•Poverty
•Nutritional illiteracy

Those working in the fields of healthy eating and physical activity identified a need for networking, capacity building and knowledge exchange across these areas of work.  The Alliance for Healthy Eating and Physical Activity was the result.  The mandate of the Alliance is:

•To facilitate communication and information sharing among those working to address healthy eating and physical activity at the local, provincial and national levels.

•To improve the effectiveness of member efforts in promoting healthy eating and physical activity by facilitating networking and the identification of collaborative action.

•To advocate on issues of importance and relevance to the promotion of healthy eating and physical activity including the need for sustained implementation and adequate funding of comprehensive strategies.

The N.S. Alliance for Healthy Eating and Physical Activity remains active today.  The primary focus for the Alliance at this time is a provincial “all population” physical activity strategy.  Read more about the Alliance’s position on this priority. 

To learn more about the N.S. Alliance for Healthy Eating and Physical Activity go to the Nova Scotia Alliance for Healthy Eating and Physical Activity website.