Health Promotion

Central Coast Local Health District NSW

Featured Posts

Say No to Vaping

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The use of e-cigarettes among young people is becoming a growing concern on the Central Coast and indeed across all of Australia. That’s why we’ve launched our Say No to Vaping campaign. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the health risks young people are exposing themselves to by using electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes).

E-cigarettes are not only addictive, but also contain or produce harmful chemicals and toxins that can cause some of the same serious health problems as smoking tobacco. The nicotine found in them is highly addictive and can affect brain development in teens, impacting their learning, concentration and mood, causing anxiety and depression. Despite this, data on teenage vaping in Australia in 2017 indicated one in five students aged 16 to 17 had used an e-cigarette, while nearly one in 10 students aged 12 to 15 had used one. Our work with schools and community groups across the Central Coast tells us that this is a growing concern for them.

Say No to Vaping aims to debunk some of the myths around vaping and empower teens to make informed decisions about whether they should vape. We have produced a number of materials you can use, including animations, social media tiles and printable posters, as well as FAQs and mythbusters. You can download the resources below.

Read the launch media release here.

Say no to addiction, say no to anxiety and depression, say no to being exploited, and say no to the serious health risks. Say No to Vaping.

Downloadable resources
Mythbusters
FAQs



Downloadable resources




 


Say No to Vaping infographic


social tile | poster




Health risks social tile | poster | animation


Addiction social tile | poster | animation


Anxiety and depression social tile | poster | animation


Smoking social tile | poster | animation


Pollution social tile | poster | animation


Exploitation social tile | poster




Mythbusters


MYTH: Vaping is not bad for your health. 


FACT: Despite their appealing flavours, many e-cigarettes contain or produce chemicals and toxins such as formaldehyde and heavy metals that can cause DNA damage, serious lung damage and cancer. They also contain other chemicals not found in tobacco smoke, and it is not yet known what effects these will have on your health in the long-term – so why take the risk?


What’s more, they can cause physical harm too; there are now thousands of cases of people being injured by faulty e-cigarette batteries exploding.


MYTH: You can’t get addicted to vaping like you can to smoking.


FACT: Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine – the same highly-addictive chemical that’s in regular cigarettes. What’s more, because you can buy extra-strength cartridges or increase the e-cigarette’s voltage to get a greater hit, many e-cigarette users get even more nicotine than they would from a tobacco product.


This is not good for you. Nicotine can affect brain development in teens, impacting their learning, concentration and mood, causing anxiety and depression. Putting nicotine into your body also increases your risk of other types of addiction in later life. Emerging evidence suggests non-smokers who vape are three times more likely to take up tobacco smoking than those who do not vape.


MYTH: E-cigarettes contain less nicotine than regular cigarettes.


FACT: Depending on the size and type of e-cigarette, they can contain as much nicotine as up to three entire packs of cigarettes!


MYTH: Using a STIG or Cuvie is not as bad for you as using traditional e-cigarettes.


FACT: Using a STIG or Cuvie to vape is just as bad for you as using any other size or shape e-cigarette.


MYTH: Vaping will help you stop smoking.


FACT: There is not enough evidence to prove e-cigarettes are effective at helping smokers quit. That is why they are not an approved product for helping people to quit. Worse, studies have shown high school students who start using e-cigarettes are much more likely to begin smoking regular cigarettes as well.


If you are trying to quit smoking, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is a better choice. If you would like help to quit, call the Quitline on 13 7848, visit the I Can Quit website or talk to your parent or guardian, or a health professional.


MYTH: E-cigarettes are not bad for the environment like regular cigarettes.


FACT: Vapes waste is especially bad for the environment for three reasons.


    

  • Many vape devices, pods and cartridges are made of single-use plastic.
    • 

  • They introduce hazardous and toxic chemicals like nicotine into the environment when used and discarded.
    • 

  • They produce electronic waste as they contain lithium-ion batteries and a heating element.
    • 



MYTH: All vaping is legal.


FACT: In NSW, it is illegal to sell e-cigarettes or e-cigarette accessories to a person under 18 years of age, while it is illegal to sell e-cigarettes containing nicotine to all ages. It is also illegal to use e-cigarettes in places where smoking is illegal, including:


    

  • Within 10 metres of children’s play equipment in outdoor public places
    • 

  • Public swimming pools
    • 

  • Spectator areas at sports grounds or other recreational areas used for organised sporting events
    • 

  • Public transport stops and platforms, including ferry wharves and taxi ranks
    • 

  • Within 4 metres of a pedestrian access point to a public building
    • 

  • Commercial outdoor dining areas
    • 



From October 2021, you will need a doctor’s prescription to access liquid nicotine for use in e-cigarettes.




FAQs


What is vaping? 


Vaping is inhaling a vapour produced by an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette).


E-cigarettes are battery-powered and may look like traditional cigarettes, cigars or pipes, as well as everyday items like pens, highlighters or USB memory sticks. They have cartridges filled with a liquid that typically contains nicotine, flavourings and chemicals. This liquid is heated by the battery, producing a vapour that the user inhales, hence the term “vaping”.


Is vaping safe?


No. Despite their appealing flavours, many e-cigarettes contain or produce chemicals and toxins such as formaldehyde and heavy metals that can cause DNA damage, serious lung damage and cancer. They also contain other chemicals not found in tobacco smoke, and it is not yet known what effects these will have on your health in the long-term – so why take the risk?


What’s more, they can cause physical harm too; there are now thousands of cases of people being injured by faulty e-cigarette batteries exploding.


What’s in an e-cigarette?


Hazardous substances have been found in e-cigarette liquids and in the vapour produced by e-cigarettes, including formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acrolein, which are known to cause cancer.


The vapour could also be delivering metal particles like chromium, nickel, lead, tin and aluminium into your lungs, and some of these metals are toxic.


I’ve heard the terms STIG and Cuvie. Is this different from an e-cigarette?


No, a STIG or HQD Cuvie refers to vaping using a particular brand of e-cigarette. Both STIGs and Cuvies are shaped like USB sticks and do not look like a traditional e-cigarette. Unlike traditional e-cigarettes that require a battery or charger, many STIGs and Cuvies can be charged by being plugged into a USB drive or any electronic device.


Can I get addicted to vaping?


Yes. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine – the same highly-addictive chemical that’s in regular cigarettes. In fact, dependent on the size and type of e-cigarette, they can contain as much nicotine as up to three entire packs of cigarettes!


This is not good for you. Nicotine can affect brain development in teens, impacting their learning, concentration and mood, causing anxiety and depression. Putting nicotine into your body also increases your risk of other types of addiction in later life. Emerging evidence suggests non-smokers who vape are three times more likely to take up tobacco smoking than those who do not vape.


Can e-cigarettes help you quit smoking?


When e-cigarettes were first available, it was thought they could be used to help smokers cut down and eventually quit smoking regular cigarettes. Since then, evidence has shown they are not more effective, and that is why they are not an approved product for helping people to quit. Even more concerning, studies have shown high school students who start using e-cigarettes are much more likely to begin smoking regular cigarettes as well.


If you are trying to quit smoking, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is a better choice. If you would like help to quit, call the Quitline on 13 7848, visit the I Can Quit website or talk to your parent or guardian, or a health professional.


If they’re not safe, why is vaping legal?


The sale of e-cigarettes containing nicotine is illegal in NSW. It is also illegal to use e-cigarettes in places where smoking is illegal, including:


    

  • Within 10 metres of children’s play equipment in outdoor public places
    • 

  • Public swimming pools
    • 

  • Spectator areas at sports grounds or other recreational areas used for organised sporting events
    • 

  • Public transport stops and platforms, including ferry wharves and taxi ranks
    • 

  • Within 4 metres of a pedestrian access point to a public building
    • 

  • Commercial outdoor dining areas
    • 



Additionally, it is illegal to sell e-cigarettes or e-cigarette accessories to a person under 18 years of age whether the device contains nicotine or not. There is a reason for this: they’re not safe.


Read more about e-cigarettes – the major trends, research and hot topics – on our e-cigarettes page.


How healthy is your childcare menu?


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If you’ve ever wondered if your early childhood education and care service menu is nutritionally adequate, or worry about having your service’s menu checked by others for accreditation, then worry no more.


12-step tutorial video


We’ve made it easy for you with our 12-step menu assessment video. In 10 minutes you’ll learn how to tell if your menu complies with the nutrition checklist found in NSW Health’s Caring for Children: Birth to 5 years – giving you peace of mind that children are getting the required 50% of their everyday nutritional needs while in your care.


The video provides a helpful tutorial not just for cooks, but all educators wanting to provide the best nutrition for the children at their centre. Additionally, if you’re a health promotion officer wishing to assess the menu of an early childhood service you work with, you’ll be able to use the video to help guide you through the process and award it a star rating.


By the end of the video, you’ll know what it takes for a menu to achieve a 4.5 or 5-star rating and thereby comply with the nutrition checklist found in Caring for Children.


What you’ll need


The video uses a case study to walk you through the process. You can download the case study sample menu and sample menu information sheet here to follow during the video. Together, we’ll check whether the menu provides enough iron, fruit and vegetables, breads and cereals, dairy and protein foods.


To review your own service’s menu, you’ll need a copy of the two-week menu cycle planning tool, found on page 93 in Caring for Children. Either photocopy the planning tool from your book, or simply download the planning tool and print it off. In order to make your service’s menu assessment easier and more accurate, you should also complete your own menu information cover sheet*. Now you’re ready to watch the video and follow the 12 easy steps.


*The menu information cover sheet provides important information that doesn’t normally appear on the menu itself, such as the quantities of the various food groups purchased each week, and types of flour and crackers being used.


Watch the video


Watch the video, How to access the nutritional value of a childcare menu in 12 easy steps, below.




Further support


Please note, while we encourage ECEC services to assess their own menu, on the Central Coast we also welcome services to send their menu and menu information cover sheet to the Central Coast Local Health District (CCLHD) Nutrition Services team for review. Completing your own review is a great exercise in developing an understanding of how to plan a healthy menu. We are here to assist you though, and also want to recognise services with menus that do comply with the nutrition checklist found in Caring for Children.


If you would like CCLHD Nutrition Services to review your menu, please send your menu and menu information cover sheet to [email protected]


Related links


Munch & Move main


Munch & Move newsletters


Munch & Move workshops


 


Breastfeeding


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World Breastfeeding Week 2021 art competition postponed until 2022


Due to COVID restrictions being in place on the Central Coast since June and for the duration of the art competition’s planned promotion period, the competition has unfortunately had to be postponed until next year. New entry forms and dates will be promoted in early 2022. We look forward to seeing all the creative breastfeeding-related artworks in the new year.


Below you can view the virtual gallery presentation of the selected entries from 2020 competition, complete with comments from the artists and judges.


 


Why breastfeed?


Breastfeeding is important for mother and baby health. Any amount of breast milk offered to your baby is good.


In Australia, it is recommended that infants are exclusively* breastfed until around six months of age when solid foods are introduced, and that breastfeeding is continued until 12 months of age and beyond, for as long as the mother and child desire.1


*Infant receives only breast milk. No other liquids or solids are given, not even water, with the exception of oral rehydration solution, or drops/syrups of vitamins, minerals or medicines.






Breastmilk is the ideal food for infants. It is safe, clean and contains antibodies which help protect against many common childhood illnesses. Breastmilk provides all the energy and nutrients that infants need for around the first six months of life. From six to 12 months breastmilk continues to provide up to half or more of a child’s nutritional needs and up to one third of a child’s nutritional needs between 12 months and two years.


Breastfed children are less likely to be overweight or obese and less prone to diabetes later in life. Women who breastfeed also have a reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancers.


Need help with breastfeeding?


Breastfeeding is a learned skill, which needs practice. The more you feed your baby, the easier it will get. More information and support is available from the following:


Breastfeeding Education Live – online sessions




Interactive breastfeeding education webinar sessions for expectant parents. Learn and practice how breastfeeding works. Click here for more information


CCLHD breastfeeding support clinics


These breastfeeding support sessions for Central Coast residents are run by child and family health nurses to support, protect and promote breastfeeding. Click here for community health centre locations and times.


Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA)


Call the Breastfeeding Helpline on 1800 686 268. This helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and staffed by trained, volunteer counsellors.


The ABA website provides a range of resources to support, educate and advocate for a breastfeeding inclusive society. You can hire a breast pump through ABA.


The mum2mum app provides breastfeeding information and support based on your baby or child’s age.


Raising Children Network


An Australian parenting website that provides articles, videos and interactive resources tailored to different ages and stages. Breastfeeding information can be found in the ‘newborn’ and ‘babies’ tabs.


MotherSafe


For women and healthcare providers concerned about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding. more information, click here or call 1800 647 848.


Other support for breastfeeding




Five ways family and friends can support a mother to breastfeed


    

  1. Offer encouragement.
    2. 

  2. Help with the baby between feeds, and older children in the family, to allow the mother to rest or nap.
    3. 

  3. Make nutritious meals and snacks to help increase her energy.
    4. 

  4. Help with cleaning and other jobs around the house to decrease these responsibilities.
    5. 

  5. Find breastfeeding friendly meeting places.
    6. 



Dads can sign up to SMS4dads and receive free text messages sent straight to their phone containing tips, information and links to other services to help fathers understand and connect with their baby and support their partner.


Grandparents play an important part in the encouragement and support of breastfeeding. More information for grandparents can be found here.


There are no benefits to starting solid foods before around six months. Starting too early can contribute to a decrease in breast milk production. Starting Family Foods provides current advice on introducing your baby to solid foods.


Support for breastfeeding in public


We are breastfeeding friendlyLook for the ‘We Are Breastfeeding Friendly’ sticker in Central Coast businesses and facilities that are supportive of mothers’ breastfeeding on their premises. There are more than 300 on the Central Coast helping to promote a positive attitude towards breastfeeding in the community.


If you have a business or know of a business that is breastfeeding friendly and would like to participate, contact Nutrition Services, Central Coast Local Health District for free breastfeeding friendly stickers and kit. Call 4320 2251.


References


1National health and Medical Research Council 2012, Infant Feeding Guidelines, Canberra. National Health and Medical Research Council.


Quick Meals for Kooris


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Quick Meals for Kooris is a ‘hands-on’ cooking program, developed to assist Aboriginal people prepare easy, low-cost family meals using available ingredients. Allowing time to cook, eat and share ideas and knowledge is an important part of this program.


 


Check out this short video to find out more about the Quick Meals for Kooris program and how it can be adopted in your organisation. 


“I’ve used the training to show other people how to cook inexpensive meals.”


Lynne Clarke, volunteer, San Remo Neighbourhood Centre.


“What I love about Quick Meals for Kooris is the recipes are simple and easy to make in your home, the ingredients are available in all shops, and honestly, some of the standard ingredients are in your cupboard today, right now.”


Kerry Groves, volunteer, San Remo Neighbourhood Centre


Quick Meals for Kooris is designed to be run by Aboriginal health workers or Aboriginal community members. This versatile program can be adapted to suit participant needs, resources and capacity of leaders. Program ‘leaders’ will not need extensive nutrition knowledge or food preparation skills as the Quick Meals for Kooris – Trainers Manual provides detailed guidance.  Recipes included in the program are in the Quick Meals for Kooris – At Home book. It is intended that all group participants are given a copy of this book. This book is also a stand-alone resource and can be provided to people who do not attend a program.




 



 


*NEW* Quick Meals for Kooris recipe videos


You can watch how to prepare four of the quick, easy and low-cost recipes from the Quick Meals for Kooris at Home book.


Watch the videos below and download the recipes and methods.



Thank you to Mitch Ella, Steve Ella, Tyra McEwen and Jenni McEwen for featuring in the videos.




Tell us what you think of these videos here!




Download the video recipes below:




Family Mince





Chicken Pasta





Vegetable Slice





Fruit Crumble




For more information, hard copy resources or support with nutrition training contact Lesley Marshall on (02) 4320 3691 or email [email protected].


School Gardens


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Welcome to 2022!


Harvest for Health Grant applications open




 


The Central Coast Health Promotion Service, in partnership with Rumbalara Environmental Education Centre is offering five $1000 grants for primary schools in Central Coast Local Health District. This is to support the creation of supportive school environments for healthy eating, physical activity and environmental sustainability via school produce gardens and/or kitchens. Contact [email protected] to enquire.


School Gardens


Having a garden can help your school to promote environmental and sustainable learning as well as encourage healthy eating and physical activity. It is a fun way to learn outside and provides students with a hands-on opportunity to prepare, eat and share the food they have grown.


Participation in a school garden program has been shown to help improve knowledge and confidence in relation to growing, preparing, cooking and eating a diverse range of fresh foods among Australian children.1


Can my school have a kitchen garden?


Any school can have some sort of garden or kitchen, regardless of their site, size, resources, gardening experience or classroom space.

How to start a kitchen garden




Kitchen gardening for sustainability




 
Patch to Plate is a free recipe book developed by the Central Coast Health Promotion Service that includes healthy and simple recipes that local teachers have made with their students using fresh ingredients from their own school gardens. Check out and download below to try these tasty recipes at school or at home.


You can also watch and share how to prepare four of our delicious recipes from the Patch to Plate book in the videos below!


Watch the videos below and download the recipes and methods.
Tell us what you think of these videos here!






Beetroot Hummus 



Rice Paper Rolls 



Fritters 



Gozleme 


Central Coast School Garden Interest Group


The Central Coast School Garden Interest Group (CCSGIG) aims to share ideas and connect Central Coast schools with an interest in school gardens and cooking. Healthy eating, encouraging physical activity and providing an interest for students rather than using small screen technology underpins the group’s philosophy.


The group meets twice each year, with a different school hosting the meeting and sharing its experiences. This year, we are considering new ways to connect as a group – if you have any suggestions, get in touch!


Join the School Garden Interest Group for information on workshops, events and new resources.




You can also join our Facebook group.


 




If you have a question contact Nina Kingon at 4320 9715 or [email protected] or for updates from the Central Coast School Garden Interest Group join the mailing list here.


References


1Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation www.kitchengardenfoundation.org.au


E-cigarettes


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Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are devices that produce a vapour which is breathed in. The process, also known as vaping, is similar to smoking, except you don’t have to burn the tobacco.


E-cigarettes are often promoted as a healthier option, but this may not be the case. Many e-cigarettes still contain nicotine as well as other potentially harmful chemicals such as ammonia that are breathed into your lungs and very quickly absorbed into your body. Smokers inhale so much and so frequently that we just don’t know what the impacts of these chemicals will be. However, we do know e-cigarettes containing nicotine are addictive, just like tobacco.


Smoking e-cigarettes is not recommended as a means to quit tobacco smoking. If you are trying to quit smoking, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is a better choice. NRT is designed to gradually release nicotine into your body to help relieve symptoms you may get when you are trying to quit. However, NRT avoids the surge of nicotine that enhances addiction. It’s that surge of nicotine from a cigarette or an e-cigarette that provides the reward and keeps you addicted. NRT avoids this, while buffering withdrawal symptoms.


Quitting smoking can improve your quality of life by having a positive impact on your physical health. What’s more, research shows that, after the nicotine withdrawal has been overcome, there are substantial long-lasting improvements to your mental health with reduced levels of anxiety and depression. Swapping to e-cigarettes won’t give you the same result.


If you would like help to quit, or you would like to refer someone to get help, call the Quitline on 13 7848, or talk to a health professional.


Watch this short video in which Dr Lyndon Bauer, a GP on the Central Coast and the Health Promotion Service’s research and evaluation officer, answers the burning questions around e-cigarettes and vaping – including the risks associated with COVID-19 – and debunks some myths along the way.






E-cigarettes – the top 5 issues




1. Availability and take-up is increasing


The rate of e-cigarette use in Australia is growing. In 2019, more than one in 10 Australians aged 14 or over reported having used an e-cigarette, an increase of more than a quarter since 2016, and 2.5 times the rate in 2013.  The highest usage is amongst young adults aged 18–24, where more than a quarter had used an e-cigarette, an increase of more than a third since 2016.


2. They are a gateway to smoking tobacco and other drugs


Studies around the world (such as these from the USA, Canada and Germany) have found high school students who have never smoked, but start using e-cigarettes, are much more likely to end up smoking tobacco.


3. No one can be sure they’re safe


E-cigarettes have the potential to be addictive, which means people are at risk of exposure to large amounts of nicotine and other potentially harmful chemicals. Some of these chemicals are not in tobacco smoke, so it is unknown what long-term health consequences they will have. However, evidence is growing, and some studies have linked them to issues such as blood pressure, heart rate and arterial stiffness. Both the Australian Government and World Health Organization have recently issued warnings on the health implications of inhaling harmful toxics in e-cigarettes.


4. They don’t help people quit


When e-cigarettes were first available, it was thought they could be used to help smokers cut down and eventually quit smoking tobacco. Since then, more evidence has come to light. E-cigarettes aren’t any more effective at helping people quit. Worse, they often result in smokers using both e-cigarettes and tobacco.


5. They are not regulated in many countries


Even though restrictions on tobacco advertising and product placement have been in place for many years, e-cigarettes are not as tightly governed… yet. Like tobacco companies before them, e-cigarettes have snuck their way into Hollywood movies because it’s a tried and tested way of getting people to smoke.


NSW Health has been careful in regulating the use of e-cigarettes. Click here to read more about the regulations in place.


On World No Tobacco Day 2021, we launched our Say No to Vaping campaign to help raise awareness of the health risks young people are exposing themselves to by using e-cigarettes. You can read more about the campaign and download resources including posters, social media tiles and animations from our Say No to Vaping campaign webpage.