New report on obesity calls for better designed urban areas

A new report from the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing on obesity in Australia has called for some major changes in the way Australians live today.

The report 'Weighing it Up' has a total of 20 recommendations made by the Committee to help tackle the growing numbers of overweight and obese people in Australia.

According to the latest estimates over half of all Australian adults are currently overweight or obese and the committee's chairman Steve Georganas says this has significant health and economic implications for Australia - he says in 2008 the evidence suggests that obesity cost the Australian economy over $8 billion and this includes the costs to the health system as a result of rising rates of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and the complications associated with surgery and other interventions.

The Committee has called for national urban planning guidelines that encourage bicycle and pedestrian friendly communities, more facilities for physical activity and more support for school and community programs that teach children and adults to grow, prepare and eat fresh fruit and vegetables as an alternative to high fat, high sugar and high salt foods.

The report two key recommendations are better urban design of cities and suburbs to encourage people to be more active and a greater focus on teaching children the importance of healthy eating and exercise.

The Committee has also called on the food industry and the government to get together to develop guidelines to lower sugar, salt and fats in processed food and to also develop consistent nutritional advice on food labels and says more detailed information on the weight of Australians and their levels of physical activity is needed along with better public health campaigns about obesity and the benefits of healthy lifestyles.

The Committee also calls for the continued support for the Federal Government's Active After School Communities Program, tax incentives to improve the affordability of fresh healthy food and access to physical activity and better regulation of weight loss products and programs and also suggests that a registry of bariatric surgery (various surgical procedures to assist in weight loss) be established.

The findings of the Preventative Health Taskforce set up by federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon last year to investigate how the country should tackle chronic diseases such as obesity and over-consumption of alcohol are also due out this month and it is suspected that the advertising industry will come in for some flack.

The report is expected to put pressure on the advertising industry to ban or restrict adverts for junk food and beverages and alcohol, with television advertising aimed at children the most likely target.

The advertising industry will have its work cut out in dealing with the growing number of health lobbyists representing parents' groups, health organisations and nutritionists who have been repeatedly calling for advertising bans to be introduced.