Experts push for concrete action on obesity in Australia

 02-Mar-17, Nikkei Asian Review

Calls are mounting in Australia for government action against growing rates of obesity and poor diets, which experts warn are fueling serious health problems and could lead to a public health crisis. The statistics are damning. In 2014-15, over 63% of Australian adults were overweight or obese. The figure for children aged 5-17 years was one in four, or 27.4%.

Image: Reuters

Studies show obese or overweight people are more prone to chronic conditions including heart disease, cancer and diabetes. The first national audit of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes, published in the Medical Journal of Australia in February, found that 33% of this population was overweight or obese.

Beyond the risks to individuals' health and quality of life, there is also a significant economic cost. Adult obesity costs Australian taxpayers AUD5.3 bn (USD4 bn) a year.

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