This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Free food for healthier babies
21/01/2002
Hundreds of mothers-to-be in Lanarkshire are to benefit from vouchers to buy healthy food, as part of a new scheme to encourage healthy eating in pregnancy.
The scheme, the first of its kind in the UK, will also be available to mothers who choose to breast feed for a maximum of three months after the birth of their baby.
The women to benefit will be issued with a photographic ID card to present when using their vouchers. The vouchers can then be used in ASDA stores in Hamilton and Blantyre to buy a variety of healthy foods.
The Best Fed Babies scheme was introduced after a study showed that babies born in the Hamilton/Blantyre area were almost twice as likely to be born with a low birth weight as those in the rest of Lanarkshire. Birth weight is believed by health professionals to be an early indicator of health in later life.
In Lanarkshire, just 12.4 per cent of new mums breast feed for the crucial first six weeks, one third of the Scottish average.
Launching the project today, Deputy Health Minister, Mary Mulligan, said:
"Ensuring a healthy start in life is one of the Executive's key priorities, and this innovative local project will help to encourage more mothers to recognise the benefits of healthy eating in pregnancy and beyond.
"The benefits of breastfeeding for both mothers and babies is well known. Babies who are breastfed have a lower risk of common childhood illnesses as well as more serious illnesses such as diabetes. And there are benefits for the mother too, including a lower risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
"Mothers in poorer areas can often face particular challenges both in accessing and in affording healthy food. I hope that this scheme will help to ensure that enjoying a healthy diet becomes a habit that the women involved continue both for themselves and their families."
Deputy Social Justice Minister Margaret Curran said:
"The Best Fed Babies initiative is part funded by the Blantyre/North Hamilton social inclusion partnership which works at the heart of the community to tackle social exclusion at local level. This innovative project shows what can be achieved through strong partnership working and the involvement of the private sector.
"It is very encouraging to see an initiative like this directly addressing our social justice agenda by promoting the well being of our children. I wish it every success."
Scotland's Food and Health Co-ordinator, Gillian Kynoch, who also attended today's launch, said:
"A better and more balanced diet in pregnancy, including plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, calcium and protein, can ensure both the unborn baby's future health and the health of its mother. For mothers who go onto breastfeed a healthy diet is also important.
"This unique partnership, the first in the UK between a supermarket and local health services, is a tremendous example of the way we can work with retailers to improve the health of our communities, and especially of very young children.
"I hope it provides an example that other agencies in Scotland will want to follow."
Jane MacDonald, General Store manager of ASDA in Blantyre, said:
"Nutrition for young mums and their children is an issue very important to ASDA. We believe in educating our customers in the importance of healthy eating and nutrition Best Fed Babies is based on very sound principles. ASDA aims to play a significant role in the local community and we are delighted to work with all the agencies involved to deliver this for Lanarkshire's next generation."
The scheme will be evaluated by experts at Glasgow Caledonian University. They will monitor the women's health during pregnancy and after pregnancy along with the health of the child, to assess how the scheme is working.
The Best Fed Babies Project is being funded by NHS Lanarkshire (£55,000), Blantyre and North Hamilton SIP (£11,500), South Lanarkshire Council (£10,000), and ASDA (£12,000).
The vouchers will also be extended to mothers who continue to breastfeed for three months after birth.
The Scottish Executive's Scottish Breastfeeding Group has been working with women throughout Scotland to raise awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding and have also been working with the Health Education Board for Scotland on its recent advertising campaign to promote breastmilk as the 'world's best baby food.
The programme will run for three years and will be monitored and evaluated by Glasgow Caledonian University.
Blantyre/North Hamilton Social Inclusion Partnership is an area based SIP working with young people in Hillhouse, Burnbank, Whitehill and part of Blantyre, South Lanarkshire. It serves a population of 24,000. For 2001/02, funding was £2.227 million.