Health Minister Jonathan Coleman welcomes the launch of the Healthy Families NZ video, encouraging people in their communities to take action against the rising rate of preventable chronic disease.

“Healthy Families NZ is challenging communities to think differently about how we address the underlying causes of poor health, including obesity, smoking and excessive drinking,” says Dr Coleman.

“It is a move away from small-scale, disconnected short-term projects, to coordinated and sustainable action with large scale reach across the whole community.

“The video features key community leaders from all walks of life, including mayors, kaumātua, business leaders, educators, and sportspeople - it demonstrates the diversity in the leadership coming together under Healthy Families NZ.

“Local leadership is at the core of the Healthy Families NZ approach. We want to enable local people to drive the necessary changes to support good health in the places where children and families spend their time.”

Healthy Families NZ has been rolled out in East Cape, Invercargill and Waitakere. The programme will launch in the Far North, Manurewa-Papakura, Lower Hutt, Manukau, Rotorua, Whanganui and Spreydon-Heathcote later this year.

The rollout is being supported by the $40 million over four years committed to the programme in Budget 2014. Healthy Families NZ has the potential to impact the lives of over one million New Zealanders.

The video was co-created by the communities taking part in Healthy Families NZ and the Ministry of Health. You can watch the video on Youtube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB2dRqDgEkE or on the Healthy Families NZ website, www.healthyfamilies.govt.nz.