Victorian children now have the fastest rate of weight gain in the country with 1 in 3 kids being overweight or obese. We chatted to Estelle Griepink from 7 news to further discuss this.
27 September 2018 - Taken directly from Channel 7 News.
Victoria has claimed a very unwanted national first, its children are the most overweight in Australia.
The state’s childhood obesity rates are now the highest in the country, with one in three children overweight or obese.
“This is clearly a time bomb, ticking away, it is going to lead to increases in chronic disease going into the future, we have to address this now,” Craig Sinclair of the Cancer Council Victoria said.
Mum Nicole French has no trouble keeping her two boys active.
“They’ll go wild in a local park,” Ms French said.
But keeping them away from fattening foods can be difficult.
“Taking the boys in a trolley through a supermarket can have its challenges,” Ms French said.
Victoria has measures in place to encourage healthy living.
However, experts say there’s still a long way to go and are calling for a state-wide strategy.
“I think these figures are a real wake-up call and really shocking,” Jane Martin of the Obesity Policy Coalition said.
“We really need to focus to ensure that children are growing up in a healthy environment that’s supportive of healthy eating.”
“One in three kids that are overweight or obese now,” Ms French said.
“Where is their health heading in 10, 15 or 20 years time?”
