There were no shocks in statistics in a report which shows seven out of 10 adults in Orange are overweight or obese because they do very little or no exercise.
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Figures similar to those in last week’s ‘Australia’s Health Tracker by Area’ report have been circulating – along with warnings from the health sector – for some years. Similar, worrying numbers have shown up across Western NSW.
Each set of alarming figures receives significant media coverage including advice from experts on how we should be taking action to get fit and slim down.
It is not a question about size. It is about the serious health risks and conditions that flow from what is now officially termed “overweight and obesity”. The problem has become its own medical “condition”.
The list of possible health risks is alarming. Overweight and obesity can lead to heart disease and high blood pressure, which is the leading cause of strokes. Then there is diabetes, which itself can lead to a wide range of other serious conditions. They are all nasty potential outcomes.
Orange residents are slightly better than those in some neighbouring communities, but that should be no comfort. As expected, the report shows people in affluent metropolitan suburbs are more active and healthier than “poorer” city dwellers and those in regional and rural communities. That is no excuse either.
The report is developed by two universities. A spokesperson for the project said: “Parks, walking tracks, community sports and active workplaces, schools and towns are what we need to help get more Australians reaping the benefits of physical activity. Increasing your activity decreases your risks of heart attack, mental illness and cancer.”
The answers are fairly obvious, not rocket science. Eat the right food and exercise. Live a healthy lifestyle.
Consumers spend a fortune on piles of heavily advertised, tasty but “bad for you” foods, which are often heavily discounted to attract more sales. Better to spend the cash on something healthy that is not likely to damage you.
The cost of the weight problem to the health system has been estimated at billions.
Public health and chronic disease experts want at least a 10 per cent reduction in physical inactivity by 2025.
Off with the bad habits. On with the running shoes. They may help you live longer.