About

Recreation centres have a leadership role within the community to promote a healthy, active lifestyle which includes both healthy eating and staying active. In government buildings, providing healthy choices in vending machines, snack bars and food concessions is good for both workers and the public.

Stay Active Eat Healthy® (SAEH) encourages recreation facilities and local government buildings to make the healthy choice the easy choice for community members purchasing food or beverage products where they live, work, learn and play. The initiative also encourages a collaborative approach between industry and site managers to provide and promote a wider range of healthy choices. 

During its funding stage, between 2008 and 2010, 48 local governments, including 12 First Nations, participated in the SAEH program.  These communities addressed food environments in 142 community-funded facilities, including pools, ice arena, multiplexes, fitness facilities, outdoor sporting facilities, community centres, band halls and other comparable facilities.

Becoming a “Healthy Choice Facility” was promoted through:

Seed grants for planning and implementing healthy food and beverage options

Planning tools and resources in the form of a comprehensive toolkit that helps facilities identify and take action on planning, implementation and evaluation including carrying out a facility audit of their healthy food and beverage choices, using the Brand Name Foods List and initiating an action plan.

The Stay Active Eat Healthy® website is designed to provide easy access to a full range of information, tools and resources for industry, site facility managers and consumers. Materials, program name and logo are registered trademarks of the BC Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA).

HFBS Program Evaluation - Phase 1 Communities

Ten BC communities participated in Phase I of the Stay Active Eat Healthy® program, eight of which completed a complete baseline and follow-up evaluation between June 2008 and January 2009. This evaluation looked at both process and impact. The major areas assessed were the facility environment, vending machines, and patron behaviors and awareness and the facilitation process.

Findings from the facility assessment tool shows that there was a significant positive change in the overall facility environment from baseline to follow-up according to the subscale categories of strategic planning, supportive environments, and communication and education.

To read the report and to get detailed information on community activities, click here.

The Stay Active Eat Healthy® program was co-led by the BC Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA) and the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM).

It was one of five initiatives under the BC Healthy Living Alliance's (BCHLA) Healthy Eating Strategy.  

Funding was provided by the BC Healthy Living Alliance with support from ActNow BC.

Stay Active Eat Healthy® is a registered trademark of the BCRPA.