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     YAA Health Division's Fitness and Nutrition Principle
     Why Fitness and Nutrition?
     What is YAA Planning?
     Contact the YAA Health Division

YAA Health Division's Fitness and Nutrition Principle

Homeless young people may not be able to make healthy choices about their nutrition and fitness through lack of education, or lack of access to nutritious food.

Why Mental Health?

Research from South Australia in 2005 indicates that sourcing food can be a difficult issue for homeless young people, especially those involved in rough sleeping.

Even for those who are not rough sleepers, the national obesity epeidemic and eating disorders can effect young people very negatively. Anecdotal evidence from workers in youth accommodation services collected by the YAAHD suggests that young people in services often have very poor eating habits, and despite healthy food being available in services, young people continue to make poor choices.

Young people within the homeless community can also find exercise plans hard to manage and maintain, and exercise can become a non-priority for these young people.

The long term effects of poor eating and lack of exercise can be extremely damaging in the long term, both in the development of long term poor health habits and also in terms of physical health with conditions such as heart attack and stroke much more common in people who are overweight.

What is YAA Planning

YAA plans to adress the issue of fitness and nutrition for frontline staff in a number of ways. Working with exisiting services to build effective refferal pathways, and keeping workers informed of information and resources they can use is an important first step.

During 2010 we will be putting together our Health Action Plan and identifying ways we can support the youth work sector on this issue.

The YAA Health Division is also planning to work with personal trainers and dieticians to develop realistic plans and resources for homeless young people and those who work with them.

Contact the YAA Health Divsion

For more information, suggestions or questions regarding YAA's involvement in Fitness and Nutrition, please use the details below.

p: (02) 9698 5833 x3
e: brandon@yaa.com.au
f: (02) 9318 2058