Minister of Health Dr Fenton Ferguson is urging the Jamaica 4-H Clubs to get involved in the promotion of his ministry's healthy lifestyles campaign.

The minister made the call last Friday after he was presented with the 4-H Club's Clover Award for his more-than 50 years of involvement in the movement, at its National Achievement Expo held at the Denbigh Agricultural Showground, in May Pen, Clarendon.

Declaring that the organisation - which is in its 75th year - remains the greatest voluntary movement in the country, Dr Ferguson said because more than 70 per cent of major illnesses are credited to unhealthy habits, "our young people must be a captive audience in speaking the language of healthy lifestyles".

"I am open to any project that we can consider - working with the National Health Fund - to boost public education and conversation about prevention of illnesses," he said.

The Jamaica 4-H Clubs was established on April 1, 1940 as the juvenile arm of the Jamaica Agricultural Society. It was patterned off the 4-H clubs in the United States of America. The juvenile branches first started in Clarendon, then was implemented island-wide.

The organisation mobilises, educates and trains young people between nine and 25 in agriculture, homemaking, leadership and social skills, in an effort to prepare them for, or influence them into careers in agriculture and agro-related occupations.