News
Abbott Ignores Obesity Epidemic:No Data And No Plan |
| Spokesperson: | Shadow Minister for Health - Hon Julia Gillard |
| Date: | Tuesday, 18 April 2006 |
| Category: | National Health News |
| It has been 10 long years since the last National Nutrition Survey was conducted in Australia by a Commonwealth Government. The Howard Government has never conducted a National Nutrition Survey. While the Howard Government has failed to conduct a National Nutrition Survey, the incidence of easting disorders, food allergies and obesity in our kids has been increasing at a concerning rate. Unfortunately, the Minister for Health, Tony Abbott has no plan or policy to halt the increasing incidence of obesity, eating disorders or food allergies in our kids and clearly has no intention of developing one. Tony Abbott has failed to ensure the National Nutrition Survey will go ahead despite clear recommendations from his own Department that the Survey is integral to the development of a strategy to address obesity. According to an Australian Institute of Health and Welfare study, over the past decade the percentage of overweight children has almost doubled and the percentage of obese children has more than tripled. Childhood obesity is currently increasing at a rate of 1 per cent per year which means that unless something is done, half of all young Australians will be overweight by 2025. While the Minister for Health has admitted the increasing cost of obesity to the health system, he clearly sees no role in addressing the epidemic… TONY ABBOTT, HEALTH MINISTER: Well, plainly, obesity does have a serious cost as does smoking, as does diabetes, as does alcohol. We just have to treat people who need help. Um, it is estimated... TICKY FULLERTON: So there's nothing you can do...? TONY ABBOTT, HEALTH MINISTER: It is estimated... It is estimated that obesity adds about $1 billion a year currently ah, to the nation's health bill. Obviously, I would rather that we didn't have to spend that money because there was no obesity. But in the end, if people are obese, it's because they're eating too much or they're exercising too little, and the answer is in the hands of those individuals. (Four Corners, Oct 17, 2005.) In February 2006, Kim Beazley’s Children’s Health Blueprint announced that a Beazley Labor Government would implement a national childhood obesity campaign in our first term through Labor’s Centre for Children’s Health. As stated in Labor’s Goals for Aussie Kids policy discussion paper, a Beazley Labor Government will also ensure a continuing program of data collection and evaluation against key national indicators for children’s health and health services. |
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