Healthy
Living
The Healthy Weight Initiative
The ACT Government has set a goal of ‘zero growth’ for obesity in the ACT and the
Healthy Weight Action Plan will guide our policies towards this goal.
WHY does it matter?
The proportion of children in the ACT who are
overweight or obese is 25%. For adults it has
dramatically risen to 63.6% from just 22.9% in 1995.
These individuals have a higher risk of disease and
reduced lifespan and quality of life. Broader impacts
on the community include greater pressure on the
health system, decreased performance in schools
and loss of productivity in the workplace.
HOW can the ACT Government
make a difference?
THE HEALTHY WEIGHT INITIATIVE
The Healthy Weight Action Plan takes the agenda
beyond the Health Portfolio to improve coordination
across all arms of government.
It recognises that the imbalance between energy
consumed and energy expended is in large part due to
modern systems of transport and sedentary jobs, recreation and lifestyles along with
the increasing availability and consumption of foods with high fat and sugar content.
Each of the ACT Government Directorates is engaged in activities that will make healthier
choices easier across Canberra. The main areas of focus are the food environment, schools,
workplaces, urban planning, social inclusion and evaluation.
The Healthy Weight Action Plan contains actions to reduce the availability of energy dense,
nutrient poor foods, improve access to infrastructure for active recreation or transport and
reduce the promotion of unhealthy foods.
WHAT actions are schools to undertake?
There are two main actions for schools to contribute to the Healthy Weight Action Plan:
1.Develop an ACT Government school food and drink policy with supporting guidelines
that will mandate implementation of the National Healthy School Canteen Guidelines
in ACT public schools.
2.Build teacher capacity to deliver Physical Education programs in ACT public
primary schools.
WHEN will we see results?
The plan is for a marathon, not a sprint. Success will only come with sustained changes
to the way people live and a permanent cultural shift away from the unhealthy lifestyles that
have become normal. For these reasons the Government acknowledges that the target of zero
growth is an ambitious first step.