Obesity epidemic real crisis
WARNING bells have been ringing for years, but when more than 1000 morbidly obese Gold Coasters are going under the knife each year in a bid to lose and control weight, it may be that the horse has bolted.
The reason for this pessimistic outlook on the Gold Coast’s and the nation’s health lies in a number of factors. For starters, surgery patients represent just 1 or 2 per cent of people the experts believe could benefit from some sort of operation.
It is also deeply concerning from a statewide and national perspective that the Gold Coast is relatively “healthy”, with its 19 per cent obesity rate the second lowest in Queensland. Population percentages in need of a radical approach to weight loss in other cities and regions are higher.
And then there is the perfect storm of our Western diet and people’s attitudes to eating, particularly in low socio-economic areas where an irony has emerged.
Despite their cash-strapped status, battlers might opt for expensive fast-food options ahead of cheap alternatives like fresh fruit and vegetables. Put simply, our bodies are not designed or have not evolved to handle the Western diet of processed foods, yet these are being loaded on to the breakfast, lunch and dinner tables in too many households.
However many patients avoid that pitfall and still struggle.
As reported today, Kirra surgeon Dr Candice Silverman warns that once people are morbidly obese, “the horse has bolted and they need active management’’.
Another irony is that this health crisis is looming at a time when there have never been so many food shows on television, most of which tout healthy eating and demonstrate how to prepare dishes.
Earlier this year London-based genetics expert Professor Tim Spector visited Australia to push the message of education.
He warned there were too many fads and charlatans operating around diets.
He urged governments to ensure nutrition courses were included as part of the school syllabus.
Get the children early. Maybe they can help educate their parents.
Spector was critical of doctors, saying many he knew in the UK were either too swamped with work or just not inclined to keep abreast of new information about food and health. “Your cab driver is more likely to be informed about this than your doctor,” he said.
Information is power. Giving people the knowledge to help them avoid the wrong foods helps them to avoid chronic disease and to lead healthier lives. It also breaks a cycle of ignorance, in which processed food is eaten for convenience without consideration of the impact on health.
An escalation in the number of patients needing surgery to lose weight is indicative of an obesity epidemic.
A dedicated campaign promoting and rewarding healthy eating, living and exercise will be Australia’s only chance of avoiding a health budget blowout that would cripple the economy.