THIS IS WINTER IN PARADISE
ABOUT 200,000 people have dropped the kilos – going from overweight into a healthy weight range – as Australia shows signs it is starting to win the battle with the killer bulge.
The nation’s proportion of people considered overweight or obese fell from 63 per cent to 62 per cent between 2016 to 2017. And the biggest health gains were among young adults, with a 7 per cent drop in overweight or obese people aged 18- 24, and a 3.7 per cent drop in those aged 25- 34.
The latest Medibank Better Health Index also reveals a slight drop in the nation’s average body mass index ( BMI) from 27.44 in 2016 to 27.37.
Despite the positive signs, Medibank chief medical officer Dr Linda Swan said Australia’s obesity rates remained a crisis.
“It’s a positive indicator … it’s heartening to see the change,” she said. “But by no means are we saying the problem is solved.” TOWNSVILLE Hospital and Health Service has elected its first clinical council.
The council will create a forum for medical, nursing and allied health professionals to influence patient care.
Townsville Hospital and Health Service Board member and urogynaecologist Professor Ajay Rane said the clinical council would allow the organisation’s 4000- strong clinical workforce to share ways patient care could be improved.
“The creation of the council is based on the simple premise that we can always do better,” he said.
“The outstanding record of this health service speaks for itself but it doesn’t mean that we can’t, and shouldn’t, look for what we can do better.
Prof Rane said the council included a mental health clinician, indigenous clinician and rural clinician. TOWNSVILLE’S glorious winter weather will peak this week with picture perfect conditions.
After several cold snaps in recent weeks the thermometer is not expected to get close to single digits with average maximums of 26C and lows of 15C between now and Friday.
Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Adam Blazak said there were could be showers from a south easterly wind slowly tracking up the Queensland coast but, as was often the case, they would probably miss Townsville and crash into Innisfail.
“You might see along the coastline but Blazak said.
“We do have an upper trough moving over the state and it may influence the Townsville area on Wednesday so midweek may be our best chance of seeing a shower.
“Other than that the temperatures and conditions are right on trend with what we would expect to see this time of year.”
Near identical conditions are expected across the region for Charters Towers, Ingham and Ayr.
Mr Blazak said while winds continued to come in from the Coral Sea night time minimums would remain relatively high. showers skirting it is unlikely,” Mr