Obesity stats show new solutions needed to address regional disadvantage

Researchers from the Centre (GLOBE) argue the consensus among experts on how we tackle the growing problem include a sugary drinks tax and legislation to reduce the marketing of unhealthy food and drink to kids.

The researchers made the call as the  Australian Institute of Health and Welfare today released overweight and obesity rates that for the first time compared statistics across geographical areas.

The data shows adults living in regional areas were significantly more likely to be overweight or obese than their city counterparts.

While today's report looks at Australian adults, GLOBE co-director Professor Steven Allender said the centre's data on overweight and obesity rates across Victorian children mirrored these trends.

"Obesity rates continue to rise in both adults and children, and while we had hoped rates had levelled off, these data suggest more urgent action is needed across all levels of society to respond to this difficult problem," Professor Allender said.

"Persons of lower socio-economic background generally experience higher rates of obesity. This inequality is why we need whole of population approaches that provide all Australians with the opportunity to make healthy behavioural choices."

GLOBE senior research fellow Dr Kathryn Backholer said the report showed Australia was extremely unlikely to reach Council of Australian Governments (CoAG) targets on obesity reduction by 2018.

A target had been set down for 41.9 percent of Australians in the healthy weight range, but currently that figure sits at 35 percent.

"Our modelling shows that without a concerted effort for population prevention across all states and territories we will not be able to turn this around," Dr Backholer said.

"There's a strong consensus on how we tackle this, we need a high level commitment from Federal Government, they need to enact a sugary drinks tax and introduce legislation to reduce the marketing of unhealthy food and drink to kids."

Dr Backholer said to reduce obesity in the areas of greatest risk would require recognition of the factors driving these inequalities in nutrition and activity and a policy response that works for all Australians.

"This looks like both engaging more regional and remote communities and developing policies that act with an intensity proportionate to need," she said.

"A good example is using the money from a sugary drinks tax to support transport and storage of fresh food to regional and remote areas."

GLOBE, part of Deakin University's School for Health and Social Development, has strong community engagement programs that address obesity prevention in several Victorian country towns.

"Right now communities around rural Victoria are leading the charge by undertaking broad community initiatives towards healthier diets and healthy activity for rural kids," Dr Backholer said.