This background paper supports three of the key priorities of the New Zealand Health Strategy (Minister of Health, 2000) – namely, to:
- improve nutrition
- increase physical activity
- reduce obesity.
Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women: A background paper highlights how the Food and Nutrition Guidelines can be specifically applied to pregnancy and breastfeeding. It also informs the health education resources for the general public, including Eating for Healthy Pregnant Women and Eating for Healthy Breastfeeding Women.
It is intended that this background paper will be used by:
- health practitioners – including dietitians, nutritionists, midwives, doctors, nurses, primary health care providers, health promoters
- educators
- caregivers
to provide sound and practical advice and support for pregnant and breastfeeding women and their families.
Purpose
This background paper has been written to:- provide evidence-based, up-to-date policy advice on the nutrition, physical activity,lifestyle and environmental determinants for achieving and maintaining the best possible health for healthy pregnant and breastfeeding women, and the best possible pregnancy outcome (ie, a healthy infant and mother)
- provide reliable, consistent information to use as a basis for programmes and education to support healthy pregnant and breastfeeding women (eg, technical background for health education resources for healthy pregnant and breastfeeding women, District Health Board programmes)
- guide and support health practitioners – including dietitians, nutritionists, midwives, doctors, nurses, primary health care providers, health promoters and teachers – in the practice of healthy nutrition, and to use as a resource for more detailed information if required
- identify health inequalities relating to nutrition and physical activity so that education and support for healthy pregnant and breastfeeding women can be targeted to reduce health inequalities between population groups.