Beef + Lamb New Zealand is teaming up with rugby world champion Stacey Waaka to encourage Kiwi teenage girls and women to eat beef and lamb more frequently to help prevent concerning health statistics.
It is the first campaign in five years for Beef + Lamb New Zealand and addresses statistics from the last National Nutrition Survey that shows over a third of teenage girls don’t achieve their daily iron requirements, and one in 14 women are low in iron.
Waaka says nutrition is critical to her and a big part of her success and what she is about. Therefore, she wants to do what she can to ensure others do all they can.
“Our young teen girls and wāhine especially have greater iron requirements than most, and being low in iron can impact their well-being, productivity and energy levels,” said Waaka.
Waaka continued, “Like me, they’ll get so much more out of life with their iron tanks full!”
The easily absorbed iron in New Zealand beef and lamb can certainly help Kiwis out with that, says Beef + Lamb CEO Kit Arkwright.
Arkwright firmly discussed, “Manatū Hauora (Ministry of Health) stats (from October 2022) show women eat fewer serves of red meat than men every week, so we knew we needed to reach that audience with our messaging.”
“Who better than a wonderful wāhine toa like Stacey to help us do that,” said Arkwright.
“Plus, if you think Stacey’s a force on the rugby field, you should see her with a pair of BBQ tongs in her hand,” Arkwright added.
Beef and lamb are a natural source of protein, iron, vitamin B12 and zinc. These nutrients are essential for growth, development, and general well-being.
Waaka said beef and lamb can be part of a well-balanced diet and help increase your iron intake.
Waaka said, “One of the best ways to top up my body’s iron stores is by including iron-rich foods, like beef and lamb, in my diet. If you’re like me and love eating red meat, you can enjoy it up to three times a week.”
“A nutritious, balanced diet is personal and a super important part of what fuels me as a professional athlete, and it tastes pretty damn good, too!” said Waaka smiling.
