As a nation, what could we be doing to prevent obesity?

Lauren32211741

Ahh this topic is so complex and multi-faceted, I've written many thousands of words on it. The government needs to work collaboratively with communities to limit fast-food advertisement, especially to children. I personally do not believe a sugar tax is the answer unless healthy foods are also subsidised. However, there is some evidence to show it's worked elsewhere.

Jen88

Put a limit on junk food! Just like there was for essential household items such as toilet paper plus pasta during the 1st wave of COVID.

tt

I know when I have to watch my food intake when my clothes feels tight and i do some exercise before I eat, that way I can control my weight.

jvanes

I grew up before fast food and there were no obese people. If we saw a fat person we found them really strange and thought they had a disease. The Government needs to tighten the laws on fast food and publish how unhealthy it is and how it causes obesity, like they have health warnings on cigarettes. Parents need to understand nutrition, they are the ones feeding their children. When I moved to the USA and Canada I was travelling across the country by car and ate a hamburger every day because they were cheap and in a week I put on 7 lb. The prevalence of fast food is a cancer (literally) on our society and it should be controlled and have warnings of the health consequences.

pebbles

Over the last 6 months i have lost 20 kilograms and dropped from a size 24 to an 18 in clothing still loosing cms and all i did was change my diet i went back to eating the way i did in the 60s , no highly processed food if it comes in a tin a box or a package its not food has been my motto i make my own yogurt , cream cheese ricotta , i eat nuts ,seeds and dates berries organic meat butter eggs and pretty much avoid sugar as much as i can , i have never felt this well in along time , and i exercise 1 or 2 days a week either walking or swimming i will never go back even though i am doing this slowly my goal is to get to to about 70 kg and size 16 and i dont care how long it takes i will get there in the end best thing i have ever done and i never get hungry i have control

neusje

Educate parents to feed their children rather than send them to McDonald's

frilly

That does not appear to be totally true, there are a fair number of people who are coming forward now showing they have actually reduce their weight significantly.

There are many though who have had to use having operations to help them do it.

I feel the Government are soon having to te obese financially for an operation where it is needed to help people to lose their weight. I am classed as obese, I have not eaten loads of fattening foods, I have been on steroid medication for many many years. Te weight just piled on. I saw someone announce the oter day on TV that she had not been on steroids for very long but her weight jumped 14 kilos. I had a similaew experiencelast year. It is very difficult for me to lose weight as I am disable, using a wheelchair but not able to move easily at any time

frilly

That does not appear to be totally true, there are a fair number of people who are coming forward now showing they have actually reduce their weight significantly.

There are many though who have had to use having operations to help them do it.

I feel the Government are soon having to te obese financially for an operation where it is needed to help people to lose their weight. I am classed as obese, I have not eaten loads of fattening foods, I have been on steroid medication for many many years. Te weight just piled on. I saw someone announce the oter day on TV that she had not been on steroids for very long but her weight jumped 14 kilos. I had a similaew experiencelast year. It is very difficult for me to lose weight as I am disable, using a wheelchair but not able to move easily at any time

Leonardus

Just better diet and more exercise

ventnorgirl

When eating out encourage meal sharing or offer small portions

dollymay

A life style change is needed. Lots of fruit and vegetables, cut out the sweet foods and takeaways from your diet. That old saying you r what you eat. Read the ingredients at the supermarket as there are lots of hidden fats,sugars and carbs. It is best to make your own foods then you know what's in it. I don't buy anything man-made. It was an effect at first but now I'm use to it. When you have your food under control do some exercise..Also the younger parents don't have much idea about nutrition. They should be given sessions as the children of today are getting fatter and fatter, very sad.

dollymay

A life style change is needed. Lots of fruit and vegetables, cut out the sweet foods and takeaways from your diet. That old saying you r what you eat. Read the ingredients at the supermarket as there are lots of hidden fats,sugars and carbs. It is best to make your own foods then you know what's in it. I don't buy anything man-made. It was an effect at first but now I'm use to it. When you have your food under control do some exercise..Also the younger parents don't have much idea about nutrition. They should be given sessions as the children of today are getting fatter and fatter, very sad.

Swinburneeducate

Taking devices off children would improve our future obesity. They spend more time indoors on phones and iPads than they do running around a back yard. Parents need to take responsibility for children's time on devices and not see them as a simple solution to occupy their children. App developer could create more challenging games that requires children to have breaks from games and encourage physical activiity

david

eat less fatty foods,exercise more veges a little less fruit in our food walk for at least half an hour rain or shine less take-away

baks

Stop having junk food as it lowers your metabolism rate further accumulating lot of fat in your body system thereby making you lazy and boring.

baks

Stop having junk food as it lowers your metabolism rate further accumulating lot of fat in your body system thereby making you lazy and boring.

Madnan

Fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and fish should be as cheap as possible with government assistance if possible so our farmers don't lose out, and anything containing more than a few grams of sugar should be taxed more heavily.
Encourage everyone to eat fresh, and abandon processed food.

a1

obesity can be divided topic - some people are naturally 'big' - south pacific islanders and they will always look obese but probably are just their frame size. with other cultures - take away the maccas, kfc etc and see how many people are sitting in shopping centre food courts and related restaurants without big milkshakes and hamburgers oozing from their paws.

grumpygracie

The governments needs to do something to ensure lower income families can afford to buy fresh fruit and vegetables. We can afford it as we have a good income and only 2 of us. I can see how it's expensive to buy for a large family.

Sus1

I would agree with some of the statements below that just banning the ads during children's viewing time would have little benefit. Many of the children at our school watch The Block, The Voice, James Bond movies etc.

bossn

Comparably to other countries eg. such as America. I don;t believe we (Australians) have a big problem when it comes to obesity.
Have you not seen all these new gyms popping up.
Have you not noticed the trend that everyone wants to look good, feel good and stay good?
You may complain about some restaurants serving your so called unhealthy food, however its not on an extreme. The standard is amazingly different and I don't think people can differentiate the difference or level at which it is healthy or not.
We as a society need to give other people the benefit of the doubt. Most people make the right choices or at least see others do them. And that is very important because if your obese then you at least notice others putting in the effort to make things right and be healthy and in turn plants the seed in your mind to follow suite.
The government so far has done an excellent job tackling large food chains like McDonald's in regards to serving a healthier alternative.
Thats my 2 cents and random ranting.
Kind Regards

Burnt Out Digger

It will be hard to achieve because we are bombarded by advertisements for fast food and are under a lot of time pressure. As a result many people take short cuts by not eating properly and failing to exercise. A change back to more appropriate eating habits and applying some self-discipline by, at least, exercising on a daily basis, even if it is just a short walk.

bj

I think we should start at school age, get the kids outside the class rooms. get them moving. teach them how to eat in moderation.
restrict the tv and mobiles to certain hours at home. parents are getting lazy and using these things instead of being active with the kids.

Hes

I dont agree with the study, where is this research based.If you eat less calories which is a basic principle of weight watchers you will eventually lose weight even when you have put it on

lou

If health is in the too-hard-basket, people feel a sense of failure & give up. Uncomplicating the health message & trusting that, with effort & time, we can thrive with a healthier version of ourselves. It starts with challenging the shame, guilt and negative judgments.

jester123

I believe the responsibility not only lies on individuals but on the fast food industry. There wasn't the epidemic that we have now before fast food outlets opened. Their portions have up sized along with their profits and people are just getting fatter and unhealthier. The fast food corporations try to appear to 'do the right' thing buy offering 'healthier' alternatives so that they can't get sued in the future like tobacco companies.

This doesn't actually answer your question but as a nation we should not allow our children to eat fast food. Teach them that home cooked is better and lead by example. Unfortunately I think it's too late to prevent obesity. The damage is done and habits are set in place. We're time poor, eat too much food and are lazy and fat and the fast food industry is reaping the benefits.

connie

i have two children that i consider them to be obese it is not enough exercise i try to get them motivated to do sports or we go for walks but they just dont lose weight

jules06

we do have far too many options of fast food which is cheaper than preparing a healthy meal at home.. I also think we need to think about obesity from the perspective of medical issues causing the obesity.
I was on corticosteroids in very high doses along with anti rejection drugs to stop my system attacking myself by reacting to allrgens with severe lung dysfunction. reulting in 2 yrs uncontrolled asthma. unfortunately i went from average weight of 65kg to obese 110kg completely due to medications and inability to excersize due to severe asthma etc. now i am 68.4 kg needing to still drop a few more kg but very difficult to do so. my weight loss to this point was from coming off steroids and moving a little more but now my struggles are around having the side effects of steroids on the doses and length of time caused necrosis in my hips. Once again i am unable to excersize. I am needing 2 complete hip replacerments. i have a healthy diet and always have.. What can we do for people with medical induced obesity??

Anonymous

We could have more education in primary schools and high schools about healthy eating and the importance of exercise. Studies have shown that if children are taught about healthy eating and exercise from a young age, they're less likely to become obese as a teenager or adult.

Geevesy75

More emphasis on this topic at school and a reduction of the amount of sugar in foods would be a great start

mikeleehm

Mandatory Military Conscription for the boys and girls when they are 18 yrs old. That should keep them trim, fit and healthy.

Anonymous

People should learn to become less indulging and the idea that you should love your curves should be changed. It is ok to love your curves only if you are healthy and active

Anonymous

Lower the intake of fatty foods in schools for two reasons it is changing the future generation and its making our kids fat

Anonymous

Lower the intake of fatty and healthy foods in schools as it is changing the future generation

Anonymous

Lower the intake of fatty and healthy foods in schools as it is changing the future generation

manson

introduce compulsory exercising for anyone who looks slightly over weight

Chokablok

This term in school we are looking into obesity in our health classes. we have found that an unhealthy diet, lack of physical exercise and laziness is the main cause of obesity. to prevent this health problem, eat a variety of good foods, maintain a balanced lifestyle. if you eat everyday, you should exercise everyday. even just a 30 minute - 1 hour walk would be enough.

Anonymous

Each community have there own beliefs in what they think is healthy and not healthy. With the right support many of us can make it easier to cope with the intake and quality of food. My personal thoughts are parents, a lot of schools are targeting healthy food only but by the time children get back home its all gone out the door til the child opens his lunch box and reveals healthy foods. My point is when a child goes back home not every house hold targets healthy food eating for future kids, that is why I think if parents were more concerned on being healthy then it would be a nations effort.

Anonymous

Exercise and possibily have cheaper prices for healthy food since all the fast foods or unhealthy food are a lot cheaper than the healthy food at the moment.

Anonymous

Exercise and possibily have cheaper prices for healthy food since all the fast foods or unhealthy food are a lot cheaper than the healthy food at the moment.

12345678910

place statutory limits on working hours

Sil sil

I think food should be organic, not pay more for it, i just think food should be grown naturally, all the additives & preservatives makes it hard for our bodies to break them down & absorb the goodness which leads to all sorts of illnesses & conditions, these things are on the rise & they start from somewhere. I think healthy food should be affordable, i was shocked to see tomatos at $7p/kg, i think basic essentials like bread, milk, cheese, should be monitored with checks of sugar, fat & salt levels. I just feel our general food standards dont exists & the business of making money is too great that we are killing ourselves. Perhaps farmers should get a better deal & not the shareholders of major supermarket chains, honestly they buy entire crops, so how can they sell produce so expensive? doesn't make sense, my family run grocer sells fruit & vege at competetive prices vs supermarkets & they are only buying boxes of produce not entire crops!! Bad food is cheap thats the problem

BigJoe

What about a federally funded program that provides tax concessions for adults who register for and actively participate in positive lifestyle and education program's that are proven statistically to support a more positive outcome in this regard. Perhaps supervised / administered by reputable NFP org's to minimise admin costs.

MLD

As a nation, should encourage each other to do more exercises. Recently, our office have move from Boxhill to Canterbury and there are not many shops around that area, so a group of us have started a daily half an hour power walk during lunch time. For the last two months, some of us have already lost 2 kg each.

diann

I am not obese but have put on weight over the last 5 years and getting heavier, it is just so very hard to get the time or the energy to exercise. We eat healthy, but lack in exercise. I really feel for those who are obese, it must be just so very hard to change their lifestyle.

Anonymous

That just sounds ridiculous to me as if you couldn't lose weight to combat obesity? From someone who lost 50 kilos in my late twenties & by the time I was 30 I was fitter & healthier than I had ever been. My cholesterol & sugar levels were at the lowest end of the table etc!

Leanne6

Unfortunetly we live in a world where most of us are busy and on a tight budget. Sometimes living and eating healthy is out of reach of peoples budgets and ability.
As a nation we need to find a way to make healthy choices easily available and affordable. We need advertising that makes the right choices easily understandable. Prehaps introduce a range of prepackaged healthy foods that are affordable and easy to prepare. Exercise options that are easy to take on board and are fun to do as a family, make fitness a part of all school years, even a 30 min walk for all students added to the school day so that finding 30 for kids is drilled into them at an early age. Tax Excentives that assist companies that offer fitness programes for their employees.
The most important thing is to make healthy a way of life from an early age.
For those that are already in the "obese' range provide an easy affordable way to access weight loss surgery. A public system that reduces waiting lists and a private system that gives an insentive to take out private cover for an affordable price in order to get a procedure that is life saving.
Make it easier for people to access therir supperanuation to pay for healthy choices, gym memberships, surgeries, etc
Although not the best solution at least it will allow people to reduce their risk of life ending health issues and extra pressure on the health system.

Areti

mandatory in work places for employers and employees to go to a fitness gym or swimming pool or they do not get paid

ozziedigger

Do not act on any so called "research "
Take in advice if it helps you to improve your regimen, if it doesn`t help, ditch it,There are basic rules to know----START a program to get fit---Continue program----even when it hurts----If it doesn`t hurt try harder----DON`T stop training .( be fit when your "passing " time is near and you can beat it and live longer ) If you don`t want to live longer stop wasting our and your time.

Anonymous

LABELING!!!!!!!!! Why can't we figure out a labeling system in which all foods have a health/calorie/artery blocking rating! even if it was as simple as a scale from 0-5. I thing obese people don't realise just how bad the food they eat is!

Anonymous

kids who are not so gifted in terms of coordination and athletic ability often find themselves not enjoying their sport and physical activity as much as those who do well in it. While I am not suggesting to eliminate the competitive instinct that we all have in us, something needs to be done for those children who are scarred when they are last to be picked in the sports game or bullied due to lack of athletic talent. In addition, the nutritional state of the western world has and is continuously plummeting due to high fat and sugar content in many foods. People need to be educated more about what is a healthy diet and what is not, and the implications that this has on their health, because the fact is there is not enough information out there for people to really know what they are doing to themselves. I also agree with the other comments that stated that it starts with the parents, so I believe children need to be addressed at a young age as do parents as they are the role models and people who shape their kids.

Pippa Rich

Premier's Active April is a Victorian Government initiative to encourage exercise!!!!

Its fantastic

Anonymous

Provide more free fitness clubs

Anonymous

Provide more free fitness clubs

Luckyluci

Encourage more fruit eating and fun excersize activities such as costume based fun runs and mud marathons

Luckyluci

Encourage more fruit eating and fun excersize activities such as costume based fun runs and mud marathons

Freddie's

most people over-eat. If people were more aware of their calorie consumption and participated in a bit more incidental exercise every day our obesity problem would fall.
Activity would make people feel more able to move and then this would accumulate to more structured physical activity.

Anonymous

Prevention Strategies for Parents and Caregivers

Be good role models. Show your children how important it is for all family members to make healthy food choices.
Provide your children with healthy food choices. Provide snacks that are low in fat, sodium, and refined sugar and are high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Encourage young children to develop good eating habits and preferences for healthful foods because eating behaviors that develop during childhood tend to track into adulthood.
Do not prohibit your children from eating unhealthy foods. The key is moderation. Limit fast food.
Watch your children's portion sizes and make sure the diet is consistent with the recommendations of the food guide pyramid.
Consult your child's pediatrician or nurse to find out how much food your child should be eating if you are not sure what portion sizes are appropriate for your child, or consult the resource books listed below.
Limit television viewing. Research suggests that increased television viewing is related to the development and maintenance of obesity. This is not surprising given the number of advertisements for unhealthy foods targeted at child consumers, the sedentary nature of watching TV, and the fact that most people eat while viewing TV.
Encourage your children to be active, but ensure appropriate safety precautions. For example, make sure your children wear protective gear including a helmet when they ride a bike or roller blade.
Work with community groups to develop safe walk-to-school programs if it is unsafe for your children to walk to school.
Learn about supervised activities offered by after-school programs at schools and community centers if you live in a neighborhood that is unsafe for children to play in the street or on the playgrounds.
Involve your children in food purchasing by taking your children food shopping and allowing them to help select healthy foods. Also, involve your in the food preparation process such as washing vegetables and pouring and stirring ingredients.
Give your children specific praise for making healthy food choices. For example, "I like how you ate all of your spinach! It will make you very healthy and strong."
Remember that food preferences develop over repeated exposure and time. Try to present new foods in small quantities and encourage your children to just take a bite at first. Over time, you can increase the portion size of the new food.
Make sure your children try to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, such as 100% fruit and vegetable juices and raw, cooked, canned, or dried fruits and vegetables. Easy accessibility to fruits and vegetables is important. Have fresh fruits and vegetables such as grapes and baby carrots washed and placed in a prominent location in the refrigerator.
Be an advocate for your children at school. Does your school have a vending machine that allows children to purchase soda and candy at school? If so, speak with the principal and other administrators and the parent-teacher organization about the possibility of having the vending machine disperse water, 100% fruit or vegetable juice, milk, and healthier snacks (such as granola bars, boxes of raisins, graham crackers, and pretzels). This alternative enables the school to earn money, but not at the expense of its students' health.
Suggest fresh fruits and vegetables and low-fat and skim milk be served in the cafeteria if it does not do so. Speak with the principal, food service administrators, and the parent-teacher organization.

shedsister

Bring back Oz Aerobics on TV for a start!

Sil sil

I think large chain supermarkets could help in having cheaper prices on fruit & veggies. They buy huge volumes for peanuts & are more expensive than my local green grocer which is run by a family. I think for families a lot of people don't make time to enjoy cooking healthy meals & the price / convenience is an issue. Schools should not sell junk & it's good at preschools that they educate parents on how to pack a healthy lunch.

coops

have physical education as a subject in schools from a early age till at least year 12

Anonymous

stop selling junk food and takeaway for cheaper than healthy food

Anonymous

Agree kayla123. Along with education to young people and providing education programs and such, it is not always plausible for families to spend a lot on groceries of the healthy nature when pre packaged "fillers" ie instant pastas, hot chips, rice dishes etc are cheaper for families to buy.
However, when we look at educating the younger generation, who may not make their own food choices, are we looking at educating their parents into these choices also?
I myself do not eat junky food, however I would say that my mother greatly influenced my choices. But if we as a nation are spending $2 on a cheeseburger and $2.50 on an avocado - what choice do some families have?
I say make better food more easily accessible and affordable, and look at the possibility of taxing terrible food like we do cigarettes.

Garna

Make some programs... obesity prevention programs, child nutrition programs, and community health education programs. Getting people involved in everyday activities.. Also have fun :)

Anonymous

The best way to prevent obesity in Australia is to advertise through to people how to make the right decisions to get the right nutrition for fat loss. People need to be educated the right guidelines to loose weight by educating them about nutrition. The government should also fund more fitness events in the community with Personal Trainers at the beach and park demonstrating simple effective daily exercises. Social groups can also help to support each other in sticking to living a healthy lifestyle and for motivation. To combat obesity it comes down to eating habits. Informing the negative consequences of eating certain foods such as processed type, and highlighting the right positive foods. Fat loss is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise.

Anonymous

Make it mandatory that in schools there is Health Education!
In some schools they DON'T do this!!

Anonymous

There needs to be a higher emphasis on heathy eating and leading a healthy lifestyle in young children, thus through school as this will target the majority. However it would be very useful to employ local communities to engage more with the surrounding people so that when programs or activity days are on the community is aware and can be actively involved. Obesity needs to be recognised as an illness and certain lifestyle choices the cause.

Anonymous

i think we need to constantly promote healthy living and the effects of obesity in schools beginning with early education centre. it is important to implement straegies to help fight the effcts of obesity. and it all starts with children, parents also should be working to keep their children active. and not in front of the tv. children are products of thier environment, and will thrive in any environment you place them, this should be a healthy envirnment physically and mentally. i think if we promote healthy living, make it more affordable and exciting to live healthy, that would make a big impact on the number of obese people in australia

poddles

Eat Healthy, portion control and moderate exercise

Anonymous

More advertisements about how obesity can ruin your body/health/life.

Anonymous

Parents need to ensure that their children to not reach that "certain weight" before they are 18 years of age and promote healthy eating and regular exercise for their children (not feeding them too much and encouraging them to be active participants in sport).

Paddy123

I would employ that business owners, government representatives and fitness consultants get together and construct an "active at work" program. Where a compulsory 30 minutes before lunch break or 30 minutes prior to morning tea, is specifically dedicated to either walking, jogging or some form of exercise. Intensity can be determined by the individual but the 30 minutes of exercise would be compulsory none the less.
Also introducing healthy eating habits, not just eating healthy foods (which is a great start) but eating smaller portions more frequently throughout the day and reducing the amount of big meals (typically three).

nikkas

more television adds promoting exercise

Anonymous

We should encourage kids as they grow up to exercise and portray it in a way where it is fun. As they grow older they would have been used to an exercising routine but also teach kids about healthy diets & why its important

todski

have some self control, it's not rocket science. eat healthy and exercise = not fat. done.

Anonymous

Implement more fitness regimes into children is schools
Make it somehow fun
So that later on in life this becomes ingrained

Anonymous

this is my opinion to prevent obesity
Following a healthy lifestyle can help you prevent overweight and obesity. Many lifestyle habits begin during childhood. Thus, parents and families should encourage their children to make healthy choices, such as following a healthy diet and being physically active.

Make following a healthy lifestyle a family goal. For example:

Follow a healthy eating plan. Make healthy food choices, keep your calorie needs and your family's calorie needs in mind, and focus on the balance of energy IN and energy OUT.
Focus on portion size. Watch the portion sizes in fast food and other restaurants. The portions served often are enough for two or three people. Children's portion sizes should be smaller than those for adults. Cutting back on portion size will help you balance energy IN and energy OUT.
Be active. Make personal and family time active. Find activities that everyone will enjoy. For example, go for a brisk walk, bike or rollerblade, or train together for a walk or run.
Reduce screen time. Limit the use of TVs, computers, DVDs, and videogames because they limit time for physical activity. Health experts recommend 2 hours or less a day of screen time that's not work- or homework-related.
Keep track of your weight, body mass index, and waist circumference. Also, keep track of your children's growth.

bonbon1992

Stop the lazyness. Each and every child should know what is right and wrong for their body. Parents should not ever feed their child 'fast food' until they are old enough and conscious enough to make that decision for themselves. unhealthy or 'fast food' shouldnt be used as a reward food.
EXCERCISE - it makes you feel good, makes you look good,

Kessa1959

Fighting obesity starts at home. Take the kids to the park to kick a ball, walk the dog, don't use the car if where you want to go is only a 10 minute walk.
When our son was little I never bought lollies, soft drinks, sweet biscuits or ice-cream so he never acquired a taste for sweet items. Even now (he is late 20s) he would drink water over coke, hardly buys lollies or chocolate and prefers fruit to biscuits for a snack. He also has never had any tooth decay.

Mataeka

There needs to be the incentive raised from "health care" (which should be called "Sick care") and start focusing on wellness. Overtime we could start cutting the funding from sick care and move it into preventative care.

Obesity is a HUGE contributing factor to our current health care system. Diabetes, Heart Health - not to mention other issues such as joint recontructions - having to reinforce previous structures to hold heavier weights - it's just stupid wastes of money. And we think it's bad now? wait 20 years until the the overweight generation starts aging (albeit aging themselves into an earlier grave...) However if we start putting the emphasis on staying healthy and within a good weight range - how much can we stop down the track.

beachnanny

Giving parents with kindergarten children all over Australia a 10 part course on nutrition and healthy eating.
I believe if this was part of the curriculum it would encourage our nation to eat healthier and be a wonderful opportunity to our up and coming newest generation to be

Anonymous

To prevent obesity will take time but a few very important steps need to be taken.
First of all training people in Healthy food choices and secondly and just as important is the serving size and third timing of food intake,fourth, daily exercise.
All the above is important to a Healthy, Fit, Fun, Long life.

Anonymous

To prevent obesity will take time but a few very important steps need to be taken.
First of all training people in Healthy food choices and secondly and just as important is the serving size and third timing of food intake,fourth, daily exercise.
All the above is important to a Healthy, Fit, Fun, Long life.

Anonymous

To prevent obesity will take time but a few very important steps need to be taken.
First of all training people in Healthy food choices and secondly and just as important is the serving size and third timing of food intake,fourth, daily exercise.
All the above is important to a Healthy, Fit, Fun, Long life.

Anonymous

we need to focus on positive health promotion and encourage a healthier lifestyle for everyone, also introducing strategies and tips for people to take up in order for them to be more aware of obesity, and how easy it is to avoid. this requires the government to invest more money into the health sector.

michal

People be normal
Extreme - Auschwic concentration camp - nobody was fat- why?
no sugar, no fat, no carob
My Mather in low was there for 4 years. She never suffer for toothache or gastro pain , for the rest of her life but Nazi were worst then animals.

michal

People be normal
Extreme - Auschwic concentration camp - nobody was fat- why?
no sugar, no fat, no carob
My Mather in low was there for 4 years. She never suffer for toothache or gastro pain , for the rest of her life but Nazi were worst then animals.

michal

People be normal
Extreme - Auschwic concentration camp - nobody was fat- why?
no sugar, no fat, no carob
My Mather in low was there for 4 years. She never suffer for toothache or gastro pain , for the rest of her life but Nazi were worst then animals.

michal

People be normal
Extreme - Auschwic concentration camp - nobody was fat- why?
no sugar, no fat, no carob
My Mather in low was there for 4 years. She never suffer for toothache or gastro pain , for the rest of her life but Nazi were worst then animals.

ScottSommer

The only real solution is increasing awareness in people, and providing alternatives to junk food that is cheap, convenient and more healthy. Unfortunately people don't seem to realize that seasonal fruit and veg is extremely cheap, tasty and healthier than something out of a deep fryer. If I'm out shopping and I'm hungry I'll grab a banana for 50c, much better than processed greasy rubbish.

Anonymous

We need to teach our children about good food nutrition, importance of regular exercise and sleep. Being aware of our mental status depression etc, and how we are feeling as this can make us crave for comfort food.
As adults we need to be aware of the next generation, and be good examples.

Anonymous

first would be putting prices on all junk food at a very high price, and lower prices on healthly foods, like vegetables ect. lower prices on sports places for clildren and adults. and dont allow night clubs to stay open so late which would stop young adults from consuming alot of alchahol.no pubs or bottle outlets to be open on sundays. and promote what junk food is actully doing to our bodies by adverts,showing a human bodies process of what junk food is actually doing to the body. just like the advert they have for smokers.

Anonymous

Obesity has become an issue in Australia in the very recent past. What happened to change our nation's once healthy image? Are we still the sporty, outdoors loving country our international peers make us out to be? What about a major image revival? What if preventing the spread of the obesity epidemic was as simple as a matter of revolutionising our priorities as families and individuals? If weekends became about getting outdoors and doing exercise as a family or with friends then perhaps we could be on the road to reviving our tarnished heritage. Creating awareness about portion sizes and nutrition from an early age, in the home, school and in the workplace. Engaging in activity on a regular basis should be important to us.

stewart89

make healthy food cheaper than junk food

Anonymous

Not to sound cruel or judgemental, but I am a firm believer that obesity stems from the home. As children, they do not buy or cook the food, the parents do. So often you see a family, all have chips, ice creams, burgers, coke, etc, and they are all large people. We have a healthy diet at home which allows my children to indulge in takeaway every now and again, but this is not something that happens regularly. These families that are obese need to be re-educated on healthy, tasty foods to replace the junk they are feeding themselves and their family. People have a choice, minimising the advertisements of junk food outlets is not going to make a difference.

Anonymous

Stop making fast food chain restaurants!! And stop selling junk food at cheap affordable prices. I don't see a salad bar opening in a new suburb, it's always a McDonald's or KFC. Health food restaurants that sell nutritious healthy foods should be promoted more. How many times a day do we see a tv add for a fast food chain?? How many emails do we get weekly about new specials and offers? It's ridiculous.

Anonymous

Obesity is a burning problem in richer societies where most people take excessive junk food without cooking nutritious food at home. apart from this busy lifestyle, no proper exercises and delayed eating are main problems. In order to get rid of this I recommend that every one should think about doing light exercises such as walking, running, cycling atc. have the meals on time (breakfast is important)and include too much of vegetable, fruits and leaves are paramount important. Also I suggest that people use to take soft drinks while eating so it is important to have hot water or any other hot drink whilst eating or else have little bit of water after every meal and consume more water as much as possible 30 minutes of their meals. soft drinks are recommended during other intervals.
I also had a obesity problem and with the above remedies I experienced good results now.

gadgetgeek

I think it is all well and good saying people should not eat junk food and a ban on advertising during kids TV times. ...but we live in a free world. We have already shunned all smokers. I am not a smoker but I believe people have some right in their decisions. Sure this does not mean a national health system or Medicare paying for obesity solutions such as stomach stapling and the latest one which is tongue stapling!

But seriously people..have we all considered the fact that Australia has the highest cost of groceries, that includes fruit and veg and meat and plain basic food than most of the world! This is a major reason why poorer people and people who work long hours do not buy expensive groceries and simple healthy food. Overseas visitors often remark on our exorbitantly high priced groceries caused directly by our 20-30 year duoploy between Coles and Woolies

Given that 1 in 3 Aussies are now single households WHAT is the government and supermarket authorities doing to to make it viable or affordable for a single or a family to be able to eat 5 major fruits a day and 5 veges a day. You would spend your weekly grocery (for me 60-70) on fruit and veg alone. It is disgusting that healthy food such as fresh food you would cook and eat instead of junk food is SO expensive in this country. I recently went to Hawaiii and you could eat a home prepared fresh lunch for under AU$5 dollars. YOu could even buy salad for 2 or 3 US dollars

So..before we all start telling off all those people who reach for the Maccas how about taking a real good look at our retail industry and specifically the TOTAL lack of price competition and relative high prices of groceries in Australia compared to almost every other single country in the world. I have travelled extensively and live in Sydney and am astounded at how much groc prices have increased in Australia since coming back here in 1986!

Anonymous

the gov't could subsidise fresh fruit & veggies, snacks in schools & have a range of healthy snacks available in canteens . school curriculum should include courses from grade 5 to 9 , regarding healthy eating options , recipes to try at home with parents to encourage healthy eating routines.

Anonymous

Try to show that cooking healthy is the better way to not gain weight and show what people can do everyday with exercise wise to be able show them that you don't need heaps of time to do just abit of exercise everyday.

Anonymous

I personally think that Walking Groups such as the Walking School Bus should be enforced in the communities because it promotes fitness and it allows the children to be with their friends and with a guardian so they aren't walking by themselves everyday. Plus the guardian can ensure safety if a young child would be crossing the road.
I also think that adolescents aged between 15-19 should get free local gym memberships because it would ensure free access to a gym to promote fitness. It would also decrease the prevalence of depression faced in terms of self-image problems in adolescents.

taz

I am very doubtful of that research. I also don't think it is the government's responsibility to monitor the personal choices of consumers. If people want to be healthy, that is their own responsibility, and if people have their own food choices questioned they will just become upset. It is up to each individual person.

Anonymous

By preventing obesity. We could start by living a healthy nutritional lifestyle ourselves and amongst our families. This then flows through our generation and creates a positive outlook on health and fitness and curbs the influence of junk food and lack of exercise.

bettythrelfo

In todays "fast" world it is hard to keep your weight down to you r level tha you wish. Too many fast food places out there, and when you work, it is just so easy to stop off and buy. I think you personally have to decide what you will do about obesity, as it is difficult to do wha tyou wish at the end, and to also cook and stock up the deep freeze. I dont think that the government can in any way help, as it is up to the individual person, but... I am pleased to read what has been written above, and can now understand where the few extra pounds that I have gained, have got to.. I think it is up to each person, because you know it is like the pebble..... throw it in water, and the circles will get bigger and bigger until it reaches the end.., we therefore must start small with ourselves, then we can help others...

Anonymous

The responsibility of obesity Has and always in my opinion reflect back to the parents and the way they raise their children. If you relate your life and upcoming to any wild animal you will never find an obese fox or tiger for example because, the mother will not allow pups to over eat or eat the wrong type of food. Animals unlike humans automatically exercise to stay fit and survive all the elements nature can throw at them.If we as humans were to take some of these things into mind by teaching our children to eat proper meals in the right proportions and cut out all junk food and encourage our children to either take up a sport or other activity of exercise more then it would definitely have to be a big step in the right direction. Skippa.

Bart

I am in that position ... I am overweight, have problems with both feet and ankles and keep getting told I have to get more exercise ... walking is good to help that!
I CAN'T WALK MORE THAN 50 METRES WITHOUT HAVING TO SIT UNTIL THE PAIN EASES SO I CAN WALK BACK AGAIN.
Obesity brought on by poor health over a long period is the worst of all. Add to that trying to subsist on a Disability Pension, pay rent, pay insurances, fuel costs and repair bills, water rates ... the list goes on, and on, and on !!!
The Medical Profession come up with all this gobbledegook, BUT, when it all comes down to it ... we are their bread and butter. Without all the obese people and associated health problems the medicos would not be making anywhere near as much money !!!!!!!!!!!!! DO THEY REALLY CARE?

Anonymous

I am happy with my body and weight at the moment.
I keep thinking that "Nutrition" and Exersize; is the most important thing to educate people with.
I recall reading about {The animals in the Jungle story}?
When food is abundant they eat and eat and eat.When food is lean they just dont consume much of everything.
Maybe we are like them is some ways.Food for us is in abundance at the moment.We can freeze foods and take them out of that state at any time and comsume them. Meat.. berries.. fish ect...
I also like the idea of getting people into some sort of fun/type exersizes..
Maybe the size of a "Football feild.Start easy; make it fun.Make it what the person can tolerate all in 1 session. I would love to start up such an idea.
I dont think much of "Gym professionals pushing "Obese" people to exersize.
Surely they could do more education and Councilling to lose the weight before starting up a "Hard training session". Of course people cant keep that sort of regimine up? It has to be gradual and fun! That is my veiw on this situation

gadgetgeek

With Australia having the highest cost of living and groceries in the world not helped by a Coles/Woolies monopoly we need to lobby the government. Seriously the main reason that poor or lower income people buy junk food is that it is much cheaper to eat than buying fresh fruit, veg and meat in AUstralia. It is disgusting what we pay for groceries and the fact that the retail institute nor the ACCC has done absolutely nothing to break the duopoly of Coles and Woolies of some 30-40 years. Independent groceries and smaller supermarkets can't compete and legislation protects the big market leaders. This HAS TO CHANGE to make fresh, healthy food affordable again in AUstralia. Also there should be no GST on any food which is the case in other taxed countries. These are basic items that people need to live at the breadline

Mish71

I have done calorie counting and the low carb diets as well as going to the gym 3 times a week and i still can't lose weight, i need to lose 15kg but every time i lose 1 kg i gain it back again. :( anyone got any other ideas?

Anonymous

Get rid of fast food stores, in which will put pressure on people to make their own food. This way no one has no choice but to x

jjdrer

This is not the solution until we have affordable fresh fruit and veg and meat in our only two duopoly supermarkets Coles and Woolies!

In shopping centres Fruit and Vegetables are sometimes cheaper in Fruit and Vegetable Shops - and fresher. I don't know which state you are living in but most have other bannered stores which have these products. Look for marked down meat.

gadgetgeek

This is not the solution until we have affordable fresh fruit and veg and meat in our only two duopoly supermarkets Coles and Woolies!

This is not the solution until we have affordable fresh fruit and veg and meat in our only two duopoly supermarkets Coles and Woolies!

sri

the major role must be played by parents at home.they are the 1st teachers to any child.they must regulate the diet of kids from younger age.as far as i know,eating is not the problem.one must know when to eat,how to eat,and how much to eat.that must be done by parents.kids must be enrolled in various physical activities.
the second important role is by the teachers in school.they must teach kids value of proper health.
the govt can also play a role by banning the adds on junk food which attracts children the most.

Anonymous

I agree obesity is a huge issue, and one that will increase cost to the government / tax payer. Although difficult, I beleive educating people, from kids to adults is a good starting point. Our kids do a healthy eating programme in school, where they learn about "sometimes foods" and what is healthy and what is not. They also focus hugely on excercise. I beleive that kids seeing their parents being active and involved in sport or general exercise (eg. walking the dog) sets a great example.

I think a huge issue for people on low income is seeing how you can prepare low fat, healthy meals on a budget. Could this be executed in those communities - demonstrations for people to show them how to eat healthily on a budget. Lets face it having a $3.95 Maccas meal seems like a far easier option than buying all the ingredients for healthy meals, especially when life is so busy. But it doesnt need to be difficult.

Ray

Education should start in the home and in schools with healthy food charts and calorie counts. Promotion of healthy food

jjdrer

Education should start in the home and in schools with healthy food charts and calorie counts. Promotion of healthy food

One private school I know of in SA has very strict rules re what they have for snacks. They are allowed only fresh fruit, not fruit bars (they are full of sugar), and vegetables e.g. carrot sticks, celery etc. I don't think they check what is in lunch sandwiches though. It is a nut free school. There are signs on all buildings including the office.

Anonymous

here is a government funded program called MEND designed for children who are over weight or obese. The course is designed for families so the children are not on their own doing it, but teaching the whole family about diet exercise, lifestyle change, reading product labels, learning about food and so much more. I only found out about the program by chance. More information about these programs is needed at schools, doctors offices, community centres, centrelink, family assistant, childrens sports.

celiak

Sadly due to many reasons my abuse was a coping mechanism from a bad childhood. free counciling cheaper gym memberships and cheaper food and afordable meals that are also quick. As fast food is accessible and cheap and quick and addictive. Also getting bigger people in groups to encorage other to go to the gym is a huge thing

celiak

well being from an obese family and having been obese myself i can see how hard it is to lose weight and get off the fast foods. Id say education and also making health foods cheaper and being able to access cheap easy meals as well as giving cheaper gym membership rates to people obese would be a start. However all of this is nothing unless the individual is commited and most big people are however they have no idea where to start. Maybe putting adds on tv that dont ridicule bigger people but is fun and educational. As it is a touchy issue for someone big

Anonymous

Try and always stay off your chair and stay active all the time. Promote sport and creative support environments.

Anonymous

well, I think instead of all the family going to McDonald ,but better of all,we spent 15$ for child swimming lesson and let the family swim for free, so in this case less of eating junk food and more of excercise.

Anonymous

With technology evolving it seems to be limiting everyday the effort we have to take to do things, making things ' more convenient' . In a sense yes , but now we have phones, online shopping, internet everything, all reducing the need for us to get off our bums and actually go physically do something, which believe it or not actually equates to a lot of our daily activity . Although technological developments have many benefits, we should also find ways of utilizing it without it resulting in cutting out daily physical movement. Just one small factor of this large issue.

coffeegoddess

We need a multi-pronged approach - education for parents and children about what is healthy, perhaps lower health insurance premiums for people under a certain BMI, less advertising of junk food and perhaps most effective of all, increase GST on fast foods to say 20%. Make the junk food less affordable and parents will be more likely to look for another option. After all that was part of the solution in the Quit smoking campaign.

Anonymous

should be teaching kids at a very young age and parents to set example.use junk food acassianally as a treat not all the time

jjdrer

Education should start in the home and in schools with healthy food charts and calorie counts. Promotion of healthy food

I agree with you. Some brands of junk food (burgers) have more salad in them than others.

Anonymous

When i was 18, i signed up for this university research study about obesity in adolescents and whether diet and exercise was better the lap band (a surgical obesity procedure). i was put into the lap band group and had a lap band inserted onto my stomach. After having it for 7 years, i must say even though i have had alot of lifestyle changes because of the lap band, it has changed my lifestyle. i exercise more because i know the weight will come off and stay off unless i eat lots of liquid calories!!! I dont think educating kids about the facts and nutrition actually helps with this obesity problem. its all about motivation. life is too easy for todays youth. we hand feed them their education, jobs, daily chores and everything else. We could be doing things like not giving into their every request because they chuck a tantrum. acvtually disciplining them, giving them consequences

funnysag

We need to build more recreational outdoor exercise areas for adults to use so that at least when people who are over weight can get some form of toning exercise that is free to use instead of going to the gym. I was in Adelaide and I saw a great outdoor free weight bearing exercise equipment available for everyone.

Anonymous

I believe that it all starts with breaking a cycle that starts with our parents. Most of our eating habits come from them. a good example is when you parents made you eat all you food on your plate regardless of how hungry you are. I have two kids under 3 that eat with us at dinner time and there is no pressure from us for them to finish all their dinner. The condition is that there wont be anything else provided if they don't eat what they are given. I also believe that alot of parents put the bad foods on a pedestal by banning them completely. what does a teenager do when all their childhood they have been denied junk food. the moment they start earning their own money that's all they eat.

Scotte

Make it more $$ to keep fit through incidental exercise by including the cost of public transport in tickets to events such as concerts, sporting events etc.

Scotte

Make it more $$ to keep fit through incidental exercise by including the cost of public transport in tickets to events such as concerts, sporting events etc.

bparde

Not true.We can speed up our metabolism by eating regular healthy meals.Also some exercise will help.

Anonymous

Within council spaces should be created free grounds for playing sports accesible at large by everybody thats on a government pension ...

Anonymous

As a nation we should be decreasing the amount of fast food advertisements on television.
I believe we could tackle these increasing issues through education to kids at school on healthy eating and exercise as to prevent the issue.
Increased government money could go into further research for what people can do that are already obese

Wickedness

It,s all very well to have all these aid programs but if people are too lazy then it will never happen, the only way is to tie it to a rewards program where weight gain costs the person(lose some of their dole or family payment)
Nothing is going to happen as long as there are these continuous hand outs and people saying "It's not my fault!"

ricky180

Obesity is a chronic disease affecting more and more children, adolescents and adults:

obesity rates among children in the U.S. have doubled since 1980 and have tripled for adolescents
15% percent of children aged six to 19 are considered overweight
over 60 percent of adults are considered overweight or obese
Healthcare professionals are seeing earlier onset of Type 2 diabetes (normally an adult-onset disease), cardiovascular disease and obesity-related depression in children and adolescents. The longer a person is obese, the more significant obesity-related risk factors become. Given the chronic diseases and conditions associated with obesity, and the fact that obesity is difficult to treat, prevention is extremely important.

A primary reason that prevention of obesity is so vital in children is because the likelihood of obese becoming obese adults is thought to increase from about 20 percent at four years of age to 80 percent by adolescence.

Infants

The longer babies are breastfed, the less likely they are to become overweight as they grow older. Breastfed babies are 15 to 25 percent less likely to become overweight. For those who are breastfed for six months or longer, the likelihood is 20 to 40 percent less.

Children and Adolescents

Young people generally become overweight or obese because they don’t get enough physical activity in combination with poor eating habits. Genetics and lifestyle also contribute to a child’s weight status.

There are a number of steps you can take to help prevent overweight and obesity during childhood and adolescence. (They’ll help you, too!) They include:

Gradually work to change family eating habits and activity levels rather than focusing on weight. Change the habits and the weight will take care of itself.
Be a role model. Parents who eat healthy foods and are physically activity set an example that increases the likelihood their children will do the same.
Encourage physical activity. Children should have an hour of moderate physical activity most days of the week. More than an hour of activity may promote weight loss and subsequent maintenance.
Reduce time in front of the TV and computer to less than two hours a day.
Encourage children to eat only when hungry, and to eat slowly.
Avoid using food as a reward or withholding food as a punishment.
Keep the refrigerator stocked with fat-free or low-fat milk and fresh fruit and vegetables instead of soft drinks and snacks high in sugar and fat.
Serve at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
Encourage children to drink water rather than beverages with added sugar, such as soft drinks, sports drinks and fruit juice drinks.
Adults

Many of the strategies that produce successful weight loss and maintenance will help prevent obesity. Improving your eating habits and increasing physical activity play a vital role in preventing obesity. Things you can do include:

Eat five to six servings of fruits and vegetables daily. A vegetable serving is one cup of raw vegetables or one-half cup of cooked vegetables or vegetable juice. A fruit serving is one piece of small to medium fresh fruit, one-half cup of canned or fresh fruit or fruit juice, or one-fourth cup of dried fruit.
Choose whole grain foods such as brown rice and whole wheat bread. Avoid highly processed foods made with refined white sugar, flour and saturated fat.
Weigh and measure food to gain an understanding of portion sizes. For example, a three-ounce serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards. Avoid super-sized menu items particularly at fast-food restaurants. You can achieve a lot just with proper choices in serving sizes.
Balance the food “checkbook.” Eating more calories than you burn for energy will lead to weight gain.
Weigh yourself regularly.
Avoid foods that are high in “energy density” or that have a lot of calories in a small amount of food. For example, a large cheeseburger and a large order of fries may have almost 1,000 calories and 30 or more grams of fat. By ordering a grilled chicken sandwich or a plain hamburger and a small salad with low-fat dressing, you can avoid hundreds of calories and eliminate much of the fat intake. For dessert, have fruit or a piece of angel food cake rather than the “death by chocolate” special or three pieces of home-made pie.
Crack a sweat: accumulate at least 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity activity on most, or preferably, all days of the week. Examples include walking a 15-minute mile, or weeding and hoeing the garden.
Make opportunities during the day for even just 10 or 15 minutes of some calorie-burning activity, such as walking around the block or up and down a few flights of stairs at work. Again, every little bit helps.

jjdrer

Obesity is a chronic disease affecting more and more children, adolescents and adults:

obesity rates among children in the U.S. have doubled since 1980 and have tripled for...

Some people gain weight eating and drinking dairy - even low fat.
I gained weight which was put down to too much dairy - semi-skim UHT milk ( a bottle or carton of white milk goes off before I drink it all) and low fat, low carbohydrate yoghurt. The rest of my diet consists of fruit and vegetables, mainly those which don't have too high a sugar level.

jjdrer

Obesity is a chronic disease affecting more and more children, adolescents and adults:

obesity rates among children in the U.S. have doubled since 1980 and have tripled for...

A relative's babies gained a huge amount of weight as a newborn even though breastfed only.

jb

One thing that is constantly being ignored is the parental responsibilty, parents must be more proactive in encouraging children to take part in active sports, or ride a bike, even attend a gym. Furthermore where possible, parental advice to kids on eating habits should be aired much more clearly showing obesity will occur if advice isn't heeded.

Anonymous

I think that as busy as our lifestyles are, we have to make a conscious effort to make time to excercise. All we need to do is take a walk everyday when possible. It is important to get our kids outdoors away from all the technology of today, I find that kids spend way too much time on computers and i pods and gadgets , they need to be taught that playing outdoors or bike riding is better for them. I try to take my kids for a bike ride while i walk after dinner before it gets dark, it doesnt take much, its good for our health as well as a bonding session for all of us.my kids love it.

Anonymous

I feel the government should be subsidizing fruit and vegetables so they can become as affordable as fast food. I have 5 young children and it costs me a fortune for fresh fruit and vegetables each week!

Anonymous

sadly i think we are always going to have to face obesity in our world/country but i think that we can slimmer these chances by advocating the healthier lifestyle and educating people especially children and parents on what they are eating, exercise and the effects of obesity.

I think in todays economy people are eating badly because they cannot afford a healthier lifestyle and sadly their bodies are paying for it - although this is not always the case.

We need to stop advertising the goodness of fast foods (even though this is bad for the companies) or we need to do what we do to smoking packages and show people what they are potentially doing to their bodies.

I think the unhealthy lifestyles people are engaging in today- especially children, is the cause for the 'bad' behaviours in children and teens. i think we are poisoning ourselves.

Anonymous

Greed and laziness thats what obesity means.The cost of living is high for sure but fitness is cheap and so is eating healthy and if you think I dont know what i'm talking about your wrong i'm a single father with two kids.
I cant afford all these fitness centre prices or fancy health foods either but there are other options.Fesh veggies,meat,water,fruit are all in our price range, going to the beach or park for a run or local swimming pool for the day which will cost 3 dollars per person.We need to teach our children thats where it starts at our schools, in our homes and in our communities its all about showing the way as parents. It's no good blaming the government for this or that ask yourself what can you do to help towards the prevention of obesity in your home,with your friends or your community. I also think that as nation we are getting better and living a healthier lifestyle we just need to push a little harder.

Anonymous

It has been made 'too hard' to keep a healthy diet in todays fast paced life. Fast food is too convenient on the way home from picking the kids up. I can't say I know of one healthy takeaway outlet that actually has a drive through. As for fitness? I thik the best thing ever invented is the wii and kinect which has made children get up off the sofa to play a game. Gone are the days of climbing trees to get kids active. If you start off young with a respect for your body and diet...... it is more likely to become a habit for life.

di

Radical idea but how about we reduce the tax threshold or perhaps private insurance cost for those that maintain a healthy body weight? Why not reward people for trying to stay fit and healthy? Rather than tax people we could reward people with a rebate for buying "whole" foods like fruit and vegetables,lean meat etc etc. Obvioulsy if someone has a underlying health issue thats different. IF we could reduce obesity our health bill as a nation would plummet.

There is also an industry (gyms,diets etc) that rely on myths to maintain their bussines. That has to change!

music1

My one point is the pressure put on mothers to work outside the home because of the high cost of living in this country. Therefore these mums are not home to supervise the kids when they come home from school. My second point in order to lose weight is just cut out sugar completely. You get natural sugar from fruit. Of course you can cheat a little at birthday parties and special occasions but don't over do it.

Anonymous

My one point is the pressure put on mothers to work outside the home because of the high cost of living in this country. Therefore these mums are not home to supervise the kids when they come home...

Totally agree - with exercise & cutting out sugar lost 12 kg.

PureSong

That must be a very high weight considering the start weights of some people who have lost weight. For me the biggest thing was figuring out I had an under-active thyroid. I had to self diagnose because the doctors all missed it no matter how much I asked for help. A health system that recognises this condition better would help.

fergiefroggiz

bring back norm in the life be in it adds >some times its not the Government responsibility but ours. as a nation we have some of the best fresh ingrediance friut vegie meat. and pretty good weather most of the year .

hamo

bring back norm in the life be in it adds >some times its not the Government responsibility but ours. as a nation we have some of the best fresh ingrediance friut vegie meat. and pretty good...

Yes I remember the life be in it adds as a kid love norm, our kids unfortunately live in a time when technology and entertainment is predominately sedentary they just move less then we did as kids. If you don't move much then what you eat stays there as weight gain, I feel very sad as I see so many over weight kids at primary school. I think as parents its our responsibility to ensure active family activities are a part of life and that devices such as TV iPod laptops and Xbox should not take up all of our children lives.

woosif

bring back norm in the life be in it adds >some times its not the Government responsibility but ours. as a nation we have some of the best fresh ingrediance friut vegie meat. and pretty good...

Oh totally agree, you should see what some parents place in the junior school lunch boxes - good god I tell you chocolate donuts - REALLY! then you see the shape of the parents - they really dont help their children at all, its child abuse in my book! move and fruit!

simla

Lead by example. This is the best way. I'd be tempted to ban the offending sugary drinks/ junk foods, but we live in a free society, and it is preferable to teach self regulation. That way it will be sustainable. Show that fresh is best, be creative with use of herbs,spices. Use fruit and nuts as snacks to carry with you when peckish, so as not to get "famished" and then pig out!

Robert

It's all about education from a young age. If we teach children to eat healthy and how to enjoy eating healthy. Also a little exercise each day while limiting the amount of time spent sedentary. If we are able to teach children effectively then when they are older they will more often than not make the right choices.

david

It's all about education from a young age. If we teach children to eat healthy and how to enjoy eating healthy. Also a little exercise each day while limiting the amount of time spent sedentary. If...

agree with you robert,some kids still in school,especially high school are very obese,this i blame on parents they should stop the kids from overeating,a very difficult task.mum and dad would have to encourouge the kids by doing the right thing and eat less as well. a walk oh 1 hour every day,rain or shine will keep weight down and help loose a few kilos.unfortunetely there are some diseases that make the body hungry.we cannot do much about this.but still the daily walk will help with fitness.a lot of shires have walking groups,contact these people,you can make new friends who can encourage you to lose the weight.

Lilibet

Recently there was an article in the newspapers that recommended that all children under the age of thirteen be prevented from drinking soft drinks and fruit juices as these drinks are full of sugar and are making a significant contribution to children being overweight and obese. As a young mum, I was encouraged to feed my children watered down fruit juice in the summer when they were very young. Now my grandchildren are regularly bought fast foods, burgers, chips and soft drinks. I was horified to see my under two year old grandson drink a whole bottle of lemon flavoured soft drink. He does like water, but if fizzy drinks are being consumed then his mum thinks its ok for him to have them too. He is already big for his age but I worry about what will happen with his weight as he gets older, due to the fact that he already spends long hours in front of television as well as eating a diet that is regularly suplimented by fast foods. What do others think of the recommendation about soft drinks and fruit jiuces for children?

Wickedness

Recently there was an article in the newspapers that recommended that all children under the age of thirteen be prevented from drinking soft drinks and fruit juices as these drinks are full of...

I agree, I have lived in Mexico where I think they drink more Coka Cola then anywhere else and it is sweeter than in the USA. All the kids drink it and many of them are over weight.

amanda6393

I, among many other members of society have finally realised that there will always be obesity whilever humans eat excessive amount of insulin-inducing processed carbohydrates. The issue is that there is big bucks to be made in the cheap, man-made, processed "food" that is overcrowding our supermarket shelves, with the worst being wheat.
There have been many published studies and many websites devoted to this issue, yet the government is too blinded by the big food companies to realise that what we are doing is simply not working.
If everybody got back to eating what our ancestors have thrived on for the last 3 million years (meat, vegetables, fruit (in moderation), nuts, seeds, eggs and good fats then we wouldn't have an issue. It's only since the introduction of agriculture and processed food that we have seen the obesity levels dramatically increasing. Our bodies simply do not know what to do with this crap! We have more "food" than ever before, yet we are nutritionally starving ourselves to death! Our bodies aren't getting what they need, so our bodies hold onto the weight! Lack of nutrients signals to our brain that there is a famine, so our bodies are genetically programmed to store weight to survive. It's what our caveman ancestors did.
As a society, we are so unhealthy that if we were classed as an animal, we would be on the brink of extinction.
The only way to prevent obesity is to get rid of the processed carbohydrates (yes, this also means bread and pasta), horrible new-age hydrogenated oils, and chemical laden packaged stuff we call food and replace it with what we are genetically designed to eat....it's just a shame this will never happen due to $$$$.

jjdrer

You've so hit the nail on the head, greed is what it comes down to. Get back to a wholefoods menu, no cans, no over packaging, no bottled water. Save the world and ourselves from our own...

In some very hot areas e.g. in NT around Tennant Creek the tap water is NOT safe to drink. As tourists we were told to boil all tap water - not just bring to the boil even to rinse dentures. Drinking hot (not boiled water) can cause vomitting and other medical problems.

Anonymous

And have you done the pricing. It is much cheaper to have the overseas produced canned foods and pre-prepared quick meals than buy all the ingredients (meat, veg, fruit) for freshly prepared meals....

We need to educate our society today, and the younger generations of how much is the right junk food intake. To many parents are allowing there children to have far to much junk food and as a result there children either turn obese, get sick or could even turn into a problem later on in life with other illness

Anonymous

And have you done the pricing. It is much cheaper to have the overseas produced canned foods and pre-prepared quick meals than buy all the ingredients (meat, veg, fruit) for freshly prepared meals....

We need to educate our society today, and the younger generations of how much is the right junk food intake. To many parents are allowing there children to have far to much junk food and as a result there children either turn obese, get sick or could even turn into a problem later on in life with other illness

poddles

You've so hit the nail on the head, greed is what it comes down to. Get back to a wholefoods menu, no cans, no over packaging, no bottled water. Save the world and ourselves from our own...

Totally agree.Wholesome unprocessed fresh food with lots of vegs and minimal sugars sodas and carbohydrates.

poddles

I, among many other members of society have finally realised that there will always be obesity whilever humans eat excessive amount of insulin-inducing processed carbohydrates. The issue is that...

Totally agree. The body cannot break down and hydrogenated fats so why are people so stuck on margarine.

gadgetgeek

You've so hit the nail on the head, greed is what it comes down to. Get back to a wholefoods menu, no cans, no over packaging, no bottled water. Save the world and ourselves from our own...

And have you done the pricing. It is much cheaper to have the overseas produced canned foods and pre-prepared quick meals than buy all the ingredients (meat, veg, fruit) for freshly prepared meals. Even worse the two major supermarkets price differentiate according to the location of the store. When I lived in a good area of Wollongong all prices of all goods were approximately 50C more than in Blacktown, Sydney. Now I live in the inner West. I live in Marrickville and the prices there are more expensive than Wolli Creek Woolies 10 mins away. Reality is our greedy two major supermarket chains have priced out the cheaper food retailers leaving us with no real price differences, instead a price collusion whilst ripping off the farmer producers and marking up by up to 100%. As for self-destruction the greed exemplified by Coles and Wooles and the big banks is what will cause world sel-destruction if it is is not our environmental self-sabotage by being ignorant that climate change is occurring in Australia on a major scale (which with temps of 46C in our summer will cause food to become almost unaffordable, more so than now...

vedu

I, among many other members of society have finally realised that there will always be obesity whilever humans eat excessive amount of insulin-inducing processed carbohydrates. The issue is that...

I totally agree with u, and also in my opinion people should know the healthy option /substitutions for junk food. Nowadays life becomes so busy that everyone prefer ready made food or junk food.so government should try to literate people about healthy food option.like instead of white bread have multigrain bread or just avoid the thing made up of plain flour.if one cant live without cold drinks then they can add more ice in that so it will reduce the effect of acid in that.switch to natural sugars, avoid red meat and so on. With no doubt I will suggest people to have veggies and fruits instead of meat and junk food

JacMc

I, among many other members of society have finally realised that there will always be obesity whilever humans eat excessive amount of insulin-inducing processed carbohydrates. The issue is that...

You've so hit the nail on the head, greed is what it comes down to. Get back to a wholefoods menu, no cans, no over packaging, no bottled water. Save the world and ourselves from our own self-destruction.

Anonymous

I, among many other members of society have finally realised that there will always be obesity whilever humans eat excessive amount of insulin-inducing processed carbohydrates. The issue is that...

here is a government funded program called MEND designed for children who are over weight or obese. The course is designed for families so the children are not on their own doing it, but teaching the whole family about diet exercise, lifestyle change, reading product labels, learning about food and so much more. I only found out about the program by chance. More information about these programs is needed at schools, doctors offices, community centres, centrelink, family assistant, childrens sports.

Dei

I, among many other members of society have finally realised that there will always be obesity whilever humans eat excessive amount of insulin-inducing processed carbohydrates. The issue is that...

Here, here totally agree. Its the way I try to feed my family & thankfully no obesity here!!

Dei

I, among many other members of society have finally realised that there will always be obesity whilever humans eat excessive amount of insulin-inducing processed carbohydrates. The issue is that...

Here, here///totally agree. Its the way I try to feed my family & thankfully no obesity here!!

Dei

I don't believe junk food/drink ads should be aired as often as they are & definitely not between 5-8 pm (when people are feeling hungry), I don't think banning them from chn's tv has much impact as many chn watch shows where they are not the target audience. I don't really think that our Govt running more 'nanny' campaigns will help either, sadly obesity, poor diet, lack of exercise etc is up to the individual & that's where the problem lies. Maybe Doctors should play a greater role...weighing patients regularly & referring them when their weight begins advancing regularly, perhaps the Govt could invest in this rather than in more scare campaigns...quiet medical intervention/support on a case by case basis.

mab

I, among many other members of society have finally realised that there will always be obesity whilever humans eat excessive amount of insulin-inducing processed carbohydrates. The issue is that...

Your 100% right Billa. People need to move around alittle

jarrrod

I, among many other members of society have finally realised that there will always be obesity whilever humans eat excessive amount of insulin-inducing processed carbohydrates. The issue is that...

I know people that think that eating no food all day but having a big meal at knight will help you lose weight but that is the complete opposite if you have small meals during the day and have a small hobby that doesn't cost much will help so much. your body thinks that its not going to eat for another 24 hours and your body stores the fat.

jarrrod

I, among many other members of society have finally realised that there will always be obesity whilever humans eat excessive amount of insulin-inducing processed carbohydrates. The issue is that...

I know people that think that eating no food all day but having a big meal at knight will help you lose weight but that is the complete opposite if you have small meals during the day and have a small hobby that doesn't cost much will help so much. your body thinks that its not going to eat for another 24 hours and your body stores the fat.

Dei

They shouldn't be shown during childrens programs either. Children who don't go shopping with their parents still find out about the food. Some parents manage to do shopping while the children are...

Got to love pro-active parenting. On a side note Blossom glad you found an honest dietician.

jjdrer

They shouldn't be shown during childrens programs either. Children who don't go shopping with their parents still find out about the food. Some parents manage to do shopping while the children are...

My Mother and I (Auntie) used to take the Grandchildren (nieces) to the parks and have competitions spotting different birds and coloured flowers (even at pre-school age they loved that), playgrounds, the beach and other "surprise" places (as they called them). My Mother wasn't able to chase them very much as she had arthritis. THey could run faster than me....and they knew it. We often took picnics - healthy homemade snacks, sometimes in season fruit and bottles of water or occasioanlly diluted juice. We often chose places where we knew there was safe toilets - we always took them - they knew they weren't always to go alone. That way we were often able to stay at the places longer.
We played a lot of indoor games together. We didn't make a habit of letting them watch much TV apart from Childrens programs which were at least partly educational. They were allowed occasional not so healthy tit-bits as special treats but they know they were rationed and not to ask for more from about 3 years of age .

jjdrer

They shouldn't be shown during childrens programs either. Children who don't go shopping with their parents still find out about the food. Some parents manage to do shopping while the children are...

My Mother and I (Auntie) used to take the Grandchildren (nieces) to the parks and have competitions spotting different birds and coloured flowers (even at pre-school age they loved that), playgrounds, the beach and other "surprise" places (as they called them). My Mother wasn't able to chase them very much as she had arthritis. THey could run faster than me....and they knew it. We often took picnics - healthy homemade snacks, sometimes in season fruit and bottles of water or occasioanlly diluted juice. We often chose places where we knew there was safe toilets - we always took them - they knew they weren't always to go alone. That way we were often able to stay at the places longer.
We played a lot of indoor games together. We didn't make a habit of letting them watch much TV apart from Childrens programs which were at least partly educational. They were allowed occasional not so healthy tit-bits as special treats but they know they were rationed and not to ask for more from about 3 years of age .

jjdrer

I don't believe junk food/drink ads should be aired as often as they are & definitely not between 5-8 pm (when people are feeling hungry), I don't think banning them from chn's tv has much impact...

They shouldn't be shown during childrens programs either. Children who don't go shopping with their parents still find out about the food. Some parents manage to do shopping while the children are at school or while they are at the Grandparents,other relatives or friends. I know some parents have an arrangement with the grandparents and they do their shopping for them at the same time, saving them the effort of shopping, unloading it from their car which some find very difficult because of medical problems such as arthritis. In one case I know of the Grandparents keep the children occupied outside or in another room while their groceries are unpacked and put away for them.

jjdrer

Have a look at the stats on how often people attend a GP for obesity advice and how well they follow it. It is just another valueless increased cost and a burden on the health system. Most health...

Beware !!! Not all nutritionists have provider numbers as I found out when I asked for a receipt so I cound claim a % of the fee from my Private Health Insurance. He promised to send me one the next day. I also sent him emails requesting one.
When I made inquiries with my Private Health Insurance and they very kindly did some research for me, that is when I found out that he didn't have one. His diet was successful weightwise but caused other problems. When I went back to my Dr for another lot of blood tests I was very disappointed, told him I had found out that the guy didn't have a provider number, the Dr. told me he would not bew recommending him to anybody again. We also discovered that his fees were dearer than a dietician with a provider number - and I was able to claim for hers.

Anonymous

I don't believe junk food/drink ads should be aired as often as they are & definitely not between 5-8 pm (when people are feeling hungry), I don't think banning them from chn's tv has much impact...

Sometimes just an outdoor hobby such as anything from remote control planes to going to cinema once every so often, rather than staying at home inside can make a significant effect.

Dei

gee I think we all are to caught up with what governments should spend its money on, has anyone thought that, good food is very expensive, compared with junk food, it should be the other way...

This brings to mind a conversation I have sadly had more than once with people on supermarket checkouts. It goes something like this:
Checkout operator while scanning (green grapes) [add any expensive fruit or veg here] : Did you know this was $x.xx?
Me: Yes, but it's still cheaper than a trip to the Drs or Dentist
Operator: Oh, I hadn't thought of it that way.
I always wonder if it had been junk food for the same price would there have been a comment?
Sadly though, considering the plight of our farmers Australian grown food (the best in my opinion) will only become more expensive.
As a teacher I can assure you 'healthy food'choices are still taught in our primary schools & obesity is a topic discussed during the high school years. I also agree that parents are busy but believe that a parent's first job is to parent BUT... if there are diet/food issues with the parents it is very easy for a vicious circle to develop ... hard to feed the kids well if you don't eat correctly yourself!!

JIBIE

The suggestion was if the Govt was intent on throwing money at the fight against obesity then perhaps that was a method. A lot of people (not me) don't have health insurance, so can't access these...

gee I think we all are to caught up with what governments should spend its money on, has anyone thought that, good food is very expensive, compared with junk food, it should be the other way around, that's where the government should be focusing on getting prices of good food down, as the final decision is up to the individual, education on eating well is out the window in our schools, parents have a responsibility to teach as well, long gone has the time spent to children with parents have not much time with there children, time to take the time.

Dei

Have a look at the stats on how often people attend a GP for obesity advice and how well they follow it. It is just another valueless increased cost and a burden on the health system. Most health...

The suggestion was if the Govt was intent on throwing money at the fight against obesity then perhaps that was a method. A lot of people (not me) don't have health insurance, so can't access these benefits but most will see a Dr at least yearly, & a check on weight & referral if necessary would just be another health check,like blood or skin cancer checks.
Ultimately, though it all lies with the individual to buy fruits & veg, lean meat etc, get up & exercise daily, if possible (just a walk would do) & choose water above all drinks.
People who become obese run a greater risk of developing related health issues & may ultimately require health lntervention, a good Dr would keep his or her eye on your weight anyway ... whether or not you choose to follow their advice is again up to the ... individual.

poddles

Have a look at the stats on how often people attend a GP for obesity advice and how well they follow it. It is just another valueless increased cost and a burden on the health system. Most health...

Totally agree

poddles

Don't agree that making suggestions is taking the responsibility from the individual, as I state that diet, exercise etc are up to the individual & in a perfect world people would take...

Have a look at the stats on how often people attend a GP for obesity advice and how well they follow it. It is just another valueless increased cost and a burden on the health system. Most health fund cover diet, nutrition and exercise and it is the most underutilized of all services.

poddles

Don't agree that making suggestions is taking the responsibility from the individual, as I state that diet, exercise etc are up to the individual & in a perfect world people would take...

Totally agree. We are responsible for our own actions. If we do not accept that responsibility then nothing will change.

poddles

I don't believe junk food/drink ads should be aired as often as they are & definitely not between 5-8 pm (when people are feeling hungry), I don't think banning them from chn's tv has much impact...

It all begins with the parents. If the parents walk the talk the kids will to.

Anonymous

I don't believe junk food/drink ads should be aired as often as they are & definitely not between 5-8 pm (when people are feeling hungry), I don't think banning them from chn's tv has much impact...

True, we are responsible for our own actions, i am about to use the magic word "BUT" Society as we know it now taught us to live this life,
Schools: including the junk food years.
Movies: happens at home now no interaction, used to be "drive-ins" where you could bring your own food & Drinks??
I think i made my point , we have been "raised" by society and taught whats acceptable living standards and now after years of Teahings THEY have found they have made wrong decissions and now attempting to change peoples living,hmmmm not going to be easy.
However, you are right, we need to be re-taught a new and Healthy way to live and extend live so we can all enjoy life and have it as long as possible, we all have desires to spend quality time with Grand kids??? including play time, kicking a ball, run around chasing one another?? how many grand parents do we see do that these days??

gadgetgeek

Don't agree that making suggestions is taking the responsibility from the individual, as I state that diet, exercise etc are up to the individual & in a perfect world people would take...

Totally agree Dei..we are becoming more and more a nanny State...and that is so not what Australia is about...whatever happened to the carefree living I remember as a kid in 1970s NSW...gone forever it seems. Also can't belive how many people overlook the fact that most people cannot afford a so called healthy shop at Woolies or Coles. The duopoly has killed the concept of it is cheap to eat healthily and also many people are so time poor with long work hours and the economy tightening again. Cooking a meal at the end of a long day is the last thing people with or without kids want to do. The government could really help by providing EFFICIENT public transport all across Sydney right the way to Hornsby, to the NW, to LIverpool in the West and to Dapto a Sydney population spill over on the South Coast. We have become so blinkered in our Australian society and never seem to do our research or look at the big picture of all the factors, we just point the finger with our limited perspectives..and that is what scare campaigns do for food or for any other societal behaviour

Dei

Don't agree that making suggestions is taking the responsibility from the individual, as I state that diet, exercise etc are up to the individual & in a perfect world people would take...

Don't agree that making suggestions is taking the responsibility from the individual, as I state that diet, exercise etc are up to the individual & in a perfect world people would take responsibility for their own actions, sadly this is no longer the case. I also believe as Harleah does; that every person should show self responsibility I do however make the concession that some people are not able to help themselves & therefore need help; if the Government is intent on spending money, it could be better spent by providing Drs & clinics with money to run programs for the people who need help rather than throw money at scare campaigns whose value is unproven.

Anonymous

I don't believe junk food/drink ads should be aired as often as they are & definitely not between 5-8 pm (when people are feeling hungry), I don't think banning them from chn's tv has much impact...

Everything you have said above is fine though really you are projecting the responsibility off of the individual with these comments. Why in this modern society is it the responsibility of advertising, tv networks, government and doctors to stop us from eating junk and promote more exercise? We need to take responsibility for our own actions.

smitzer

There is a government funded program called MEND designed for children who are over weight or obese. The course is designed for families so the children are not on their own doing it, but teaching the whole family about diet exercise, lifestyle change, reading product labels, learning about food and so much more. I only found out about the program by chance. More information about these programs is needed at schools, doctors offices, community centres, centrelink, family assistant, childrens sports.

Keith64

People who eat heaps of junk food also need to accept accountability for being obese and stop blaming everyone else or expect the government to hold their hand and use public money for programs all...

Jeeves01: It may be a nanny state already but it would be sound economics for government to take action to reduce obesity as it would be cheaper to run anti-obesity programs, possibly funded by a tax on particular items of 'food' and drink, than to pay the public health costs occasioned by obese people.

Jeeves01

I agree. Producers of junk food need to accept accountability for their actions and instead of thinking about the dollars they need to think more about the effects their products are having on...

People who eat heaps of junk food also need to accept accountability for being obese and stop blaming everyone else or expect the government to hold their hand and use public money for programs all the time. It's a nanny state now and people refuse to accept responsibility for their actions and ALWAYS blame someone else. It annoys me no end.

socker

Ya that's the first I've heard of that they should make it more public

Governments fund many things but never tell anyone that way they can claim what a wonderful job they are doing if asked but it doesn't cost much as no one knows about it.

Deb61

Governments rarely inform people of their entitlements you have to find them yourself.

I do believe that they should ban the advertisement of junk food during the children's programs. ...

I agree. Producers of junk food need to accept accountability for their actions and instead of thinking about the dollars they need to think more about the effects their products are having on peoples health. Obesity is having a very negative effect on our society and I think these companys should be paying a higher tax which will go towards the health system in dealing with this problem.

Anonymous

There is a government funded program called MEND designed for children who are over weight or obese. The course is designed for families so the children are not on their own doing it, but teaching...

Never heard of this program MEND before and being in the health and fitness scene its obviously not spoken or advertised enough

oscar_benn

This is the first I have heard of the program. Why don't they take it public?

Ya that's the first I've heard of that they should make it more public

socker

There is a government funded program called MEND designed for children who are over weight or obese. The course is designed for families so the children are not on their own doing it, but teaching...

Governments rarely inform people of their entitlements you have to find them yourself.

I do believe that they should ban the advertisement of junk food during the children's programs. The manufacturers of these products employee physiologist to devise adds that convince the targeted audience that the product is needed, beneficial and cool.

I mean cigarettes advertising is now banned and there are less smokers in Australia than a few years ago so both have been shown to work that is advertising and banning advertising of cigarettes.

poddles

There is a government funded program called MEND designed for children who are over weight or obese. The course is designed for families so the children are not on their own doing it, but teaching...

This is the first I have heard of the program. Why don't they take it public?