What do you think is the solution to Australia's obesity epidemic?

**Veritas** · 03-01-2008 18:44

After catching a snippet of ACA tonight and their feature on the obesity epidemic in Australia and the thought of offering incentives through private health care, ie. reduction in premiums, gym vouchers, etc.... it got me thinking....

What measures do you think need to be put in place to overcome what has become such a huge health crisis and ensure the health of generations to come???

Personally, I think a lot of it comes down to education..... both for parents and children.....

I think their needs to be more of an emphasis on learning about nutrition in schools, in a manner that makes it interesting and enjoyable for children, whether it involves cooking classes etc I don't know..... schools need to have a great exercise/fitness program in place.... this would ensure access to this for all children, not just those whose parents are aware of the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle....

I think educating some parents would be the harder task.... teaching them to take responsibility for the food and activities they provide for their kids, and how to encourage healthy behaviours.... how to have fun as a family and increase their life expectancy and quality of life at the same time.....

So what ideas do you have??? I thought this might be a great melting pot of ideas, that can not only get us thinking, but just may help someone out there with ideas to get started....

**Benji** · 03-01-2008 18:49

Stop eating so much.

No, honestly I think it has a lot to do with the hours we are expected to work (I'm speaking on behalf of some others because I'm nowhere near obese).

Some people have to work so many hours in a week that there is no longer time for the usual morning walk, cooked dinner, proper breakfast and to make lunch to take to work.

Not to mention a lot of people are just stuffed after work they feel they just want to come home and slump onto the couch.

It has got to do with education also, I think. There really has been a backlash against "skinny" and "stick thin" people and people are now talking about "booties" and "curves" being more "womanly" etc. I have no problem with a bum etc, but it is going a bit far for some people.

My ex best friend put on a huge amount of weight to please her husband

Not many people are actually taught how to cook either.

Some people say that it is cheaper to buy junk food as opposed to healthy food, too (I don't think so but I make and buy my fruit and veg in bulk).

**Veritas** · 03-01-2008 18:57

Originally Posted by Angike

Stop eating so much

Originally Posted by Angike

Not many people are actually taught how to cook either.

totally.... if we returned to the days of people making more from scratch that would abate the cost issue of junk versus healthy too.....

I agree too on the work issue.... I am lucky now, but used to work in a position where I worked probably 50-60 hrs a week in the office, then at least another 10 from home.... trying to find time for anything other than sleeping was near impossible....

I did however once work at an indoor sports centre that held corporate round robin competitions during the lunch hour.... I thought it was a great idea, not only healthy activity but building rapport and teamwork skills between colleagues...

**SorenLorensen** · 03-01-2008 19:01

education !

**Meemo** · 03-01-2008 19:01

I think it definitely comes down to education...
For both parents and children.

Although it is taught in schools, kinder etc. It still comes down to what is given to them in the home.
Luckily for me DD is very opinionated when it comes to 'sometimes foods' and 'all the time foods'.
I don't believe in denying a child a 'treat' completely, it's about moderation.
DD will have a treat of take a away, about once a week, sometimes more, but she is always the first to tell me that she had 'junk' the day before so needs something 'healthy' for her next few meals.

She learnt all of this at kinder, but by me enforcing it at home she is aware of what foods to eat, and also that eating too much of the 'wrong' foods will result in 'not nice things', ie, tummy pains etc.

She is also a very active child, and loves playing outside, which is very much encouraged, I hate seeing kids in front of the tv or computer ALL the time, especially when it is a perfect day to go out and play.

It all comes down to awareness and education.

**OJandMe** · 03-01-2008 19:02

throw out TV. And give every kid in the country a push bike for their 5th birthday.

(Did you know, in Yemen, the government supplies every male with a car when they get their licence!)

**MissSookyLaLa** · 03-01-2008 21:34

lifestyle...

we have such sedentary lifestyles- drive everywhere, use remotes, have tonnes of labour saving devices... and yet we eat as much as our grandparents did (or more) before these labour saving devices existed...

unfortunately i dont think this side of things is going to get much better (unless of course the world runs out of electricity and fuel to run all of these labour saving devices!)

**Verdi** · 04-01-2008 08:05

I think there more than one contributing factore to Obesity.
1. Wrong foods given to kids
2. Not enough Sports or physical playtime for kids.

i find it really sad that we live in a world that a child is no longer safe to walk or ride to school as their may be a peadophile in the neighbourhood. or they can not kick a ball in a courtyard / street for fear of some elderly residents getting upset with the noise they make or for that matter even in their own backyard, yes it is true neighbours do complain when kids are playing in the backyard.

i feel that we have been stripped of freedom for our kids to play like we did, the society we live in has stripped that away from them because we have failed to keep our streets safe (paedophiles, drug pushers) due to light sentencing, and also by people being so stupid to blame every single thing on the goverment if they fall or trip in a public area that they start banning all things good for our kids. Very soon they will ban kids from riding on the footpath cause their will be one accident and there will be an over reaction.

Freedom for our kids to be kids is slowly dissappearing.

**forbetoel** · 04-01-2008 08:12

Education and Exersize.

It also doesn't help at the moment when the price of fresh healthy food is skyrocketing. I really feel for those on a low income trying to feed a couple of kids or more.

**Mrs Potts** · 04-01-2008 08:17

Personally I think it's time that people started taking responsibility for their own health and well-being, and stop expecting the Government to fix a problem that has been created by one's own self.

It's a no-brainer really as far as I'm concerned. Eat less, eat more healthy foods, exercise more. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out!