HEART campaigners are planning to launch a major food and health strategy for Merseyside.

They aim to make it easier for people to obtain healthy food, particularly those on low incomes.

The strategy will be launched this autumn by local campaign group Heart of Mersey, a coronary heart disease programme set up to reduce Merseyside's high levels of cardiac disease.

Campaigners have enlisted a number of interested parties to contribute to the strategy, including representatives from the NHS, environmental health, transport chiefs, and the food industry.

Poor diet increases the risk of heart disease.

According to the group, poverty and whether it is easy for people to buy and eat healthily are factors that shape diet.

Heart of Merseyside is looking at how easy it is to get healthy food at school, in the workplace and at home.

Special attention is being made to low income families and the obstacles they face in buying healthy food

Modi Mwatsama, food and health co-ordinator for the campaign, said: "The strategy is something we are working on and is being developed by a number of stakeholders looking at food and health access across Merseyside.

"The aim is to improve people's access to healthy, affordable food that's basically low in fat, sugar and salt.

"We're working with the community, particularly in deprived areas, to identify what main issues there are for people on low incomes in terms of getting access to a healthy diet."

Campaigners say healthy food is often the more expensive option for families and poverty and poor diet are strongly linked.

Ms Mwatsama added: "One of the biggest problems for people on low incomes is that the healthy option is expensive.

"For example minced meat may be 50p more for the low fat variety so low income families will be put off that."

A "stakeholder meeting" will be held in July where representatives from the public and private sector can add their input into the development of the strategy.