Population Health and Strategic Direction
Centre for Population Health - Projects
Obesity Prevention Program
Rationale:
- Overweight and obesity is a serious, chronic medical condition, which is associated with a wide range of debilitating and life threatening conditions (1)
- Large increases in obesity rates among Australians have the potential to erode many recent health gains (1)
- Recent studies estimate that 67% of Australian men and 52% of Australian women, aged 25 years and over, are overweight or obese (1)
- In SWAHS there is a significantly higher proportion of overweight or obese adults, aged 16 years and over, than the NSW Average (NSW Health Survey, 2002, 2003)
- At LGA Level overweight and obesity rates range from Hawkesbury LGA at 55.2% of the population to Blue Mountains LGA at 43.9% - the only LGA not above the NSW average of 47.3%. Area wide overweight and obesity rates are around 50% for the over 16 years of age.
- Children in western Sydney have weights and heights higher than published Australian values. Preliminary results from 621 western Sydney children aged 10.3 +/- 0.4 years indicated that 66% were of normal weight, 24% overweight and 10% were obese (2)
- In SWAHS there is a significantly higher proportion of adults aged 16 years and over who do not have adequate physical activity levels, for health benefits - SWAHS 60%, NSW 54.2% (NSW Health Survey, 2002)
- An area Healthy Weight Strategy will support the Area Health Service's obligations in regard to the Chronic Disease Prevention, Health Promotion and Advancement Statewide Primary Prevention Priority 2205/06 and 2006/07: Childhood Obesity - NSW Health Department - Policy on Use of Special Health Promotion Funds Allocated to Area Health Services
- An area Healthy Weight strategy will support the following State
and National Key Documents and Initiatives:
- Prevention of Obesity in Children and Young People: NSW Government Action Plan 2003-2007
- Healthy Weight 2008 - The National Action Agenda for Children and Young People and their Families
- Eat Well NSW: Strategic Directions for Public Health Nutrition 2003-2007
- Eat Well Australia: An Agenda for Action for Public Health Nutrition 2000-2010
- NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy
- Getting Australia Active: Towards better practice for the promotion of physical activity
- Be Active Australia: A Health Sector Framework for Action (Draft)
- NSW Chronic Disease Prevention Strategy 2003-2007
- Healthy People 2005 - New Directions for Public Health in New South Wales
- Health Promotion with Schools: A Policy For the Health System
References:
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http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/obesity/adult/about.html
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Eden B., Naughton G., Currie J., Booth M., Mc Kenzie J., & Stephens K., (2004). Presentation cited in: DAA NSW Branch Continuing Education Subcommittee, 10th State Conference Proceedings: The Obesity Epidemic. Friday 19 March 2004, Sheraton Sydney
Strategies
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Coordination of an area wide, strategic approach to obesity prevention
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Development and implementation of SWAHS Healthy Weight Strategy
Obesity Prevention strategies delivered in key settings and areas for intervention including, but not limited to:-
Schools
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Local government
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Clinical settings
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Industry
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Community
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Child care facilities
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Transport and planning
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Address special populations with high rates of obesity or at high risk of obesity
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Assessment of the obesogenic environment in SWAHS
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Implementation of Supporting Nutrition in SWAHS Primary Schools project
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Facilitate advocacy, community awareness and education strategies relating to Statewide and National initiatives in the areas of obesity, nutrition and physical activity
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Provide consultancy and support to partners to promote best practice nutrition and nutrition practices; and physical activity and obesity prevention promotion across Sydney West Area Health Service
