Australia’s obese children need help now
Australian children are fatter and less fit than they have ever been.
It is estimated that more than 200,000 of our two–18 year olds are obese.
Obese children are likely to become obese adults, and thus bear more than their fair share of sickness, sadness and health care costs.
Recent surveys of community child health nurses, GPs, parents of hospitalised children, and paediatricians show that none of these services are routinely assessing overweight children, and often lack the simple tools to do so. Effective solutions remain elusive, even when obesity is identified.
So, what is needed? Not more surveys telling us we have a problem. Not more reports telling us we need to do something about it. Not more time arguing whether obesity is a disease or a lifestyle.
It is time for real and immediate political and public health action to manage childhood obesity. Prevention is vital, but effective treatment is needed for the many children who are already obese. With clinics around the country ramping up, now is the time to invest in coordinated national clinical research to find practical applications.
As Winston Churchill said, ‘However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results’.
Dr Melissa Wake
Healthy Development Theme
Director, Research & Public Health
Centre for Community Child Health