When it comes to obesity in Australia, the statistics are alarming – and generally getting worse.
- The national prevalence of obesity has increased significantly over the past few decades. Roughly three in ten Australian adults are now obese, with a further 36 per cent classified as overweight. Together, that’s almost two in three of us.
- Seven in every 100 children are obese (and around one in four, overweight or obese) – an increase from almost zero in 1980.
- Overweight and obesity are second only to tobacco, in the largest contributors to Australia’s burden of disease.
- If no further action is taken to curb the growth in obesity, leading economistsestimate a total of $87.7 billion in additional direct and indirect costs to the Australian economy by 2025.
As this public health challenge continues to grow, year on year, it is easy to feel like we are making limited progress. That we are letting the window for action slip closed, and failing not only ourselves and our peers – but also the next generation of young Aussies.
Yet despite all the challenging updates that crossed my desk this week, three good news items stood out. Here, I share them with you – because to paraphrase a favourite quote, let’s not risk quitting as we look forward at the long road ahead, but also take inspiration from a moment’s glance back, and the many miles already covered.
New report on a sugary drinks tax – recovering the community costs of obesity
Hot off the press this week, is a new report from the Grattan Institute focusing on the role and impact a ‘sugary drinks tax’ might have on the health of Australians, and our federal budget.
Reflecting the building thirst for effective policy, it lays out the evidence for a tax levied at a rate of about 40 cents for every 100 grams of sugar in our drinks. Containing a whopping 210g of sugar (roughly 7x the adult daily recommendation), this would increase the price of a two-litre bottle of soft drink by about 80 cents – but could raise around $500 million in annual revenue to recoup some of the hidden societal costs of obesity.
While the authors acknowledge that one single policy is never a panacea, this latest report supports building evidence from around the world that shows price can play a crucial role in addressing obesity. It also reminds us that increasing the price of sugary drinks is not about taxing, punishing or implementing a new levy, but moving towards truer pricingof what these products actually cost.
Whether you agree or not, this latest analysis is well worth a thorough read.
TEDx talk on the politics of food
With growing support for smarter policies on obesity, a strenghtening counter-current emerges. Food and politics go together like vegemite and toast, and in this new TEDx talk from ANU’s Dr Phil Baker, we learn the realities and challenges facing us as consumers and our food systems at large.
Not to be missed, Phil insightfully asks and answers what really influences our food choices, and what we can do about it.
New study shows 30 seconds and primary care, is time and money well spent
Finally, as someone working within public health to build and advocate an evidence-based case for greater action on obesity, it can sometimes feel a little like ‘two steps forward, one step back’. For clinicians and GPs working to address obesity with their patients, the tools available can appear similarly lacking.
The last piece of good news this week is a recent study published in the prestigious health journal, The Lancet. Despite the sometimes pervasive thinking that a limited impact on obesity can be accomplished in brief consultations with our GP, this new study shows the opposite. Through rigorous research methods, it reaffirms both the importance of strong, well supported primary care – and 30 seconds with your doctor – in bringing in the waistline.