HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS TASMANIA

Tasmania has one of the highest rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease in the country. One of the reasons is that, for many people, it isn’t easy to access healthy food. In fact, data suggest that up to 30 per cent of Tasmanians are affected by poor access to nutritious, affordable food, and that resulting health care costs the state around $60 million per year. On this website you’ll find tools, resources and case studies that can help you to improve food security in your region.

Watch this brief video to see what we’re doing to help.

FOOD INSECURITY IN TASMANIA

Many wonder how it can be – in a state known for its abundance of food and a thriving agricultural sector – that many Tasmanians aren’t able to easily access healthy food. We’ve learned that where you live in Tasmania matters, with those in regional and low-socioeconomic areas more likely to experience food insecurity than their city counterparts.

POOR ACCESS TO SHOPS

As a general rule, in neighbourhoods where household incomes are at their lowest there are few shops selling healthy foods. There’s simply nowhere you can purchase good-quality fruit and vegetables.

AFFORDABILITY

Where shops do sell healthy food in these areas, they are more likely to have a limited range and be more expensive than shops in cities. In many low-income households, rent, transport and utilities are paid first, which means there’s not much left over for food.

COALITIONS

Through the Healthy Food Access Tasmania project (HFAT) the Heart Foundation is encouraging local government, organisations and individuals to work together as a ‘coalition’ to improve food security in their region.

BENEFITS

With better access to healthy food comes the potential for better health. Local growers, businesses and retailers benefit too.