PUSH TO GET KIDS TO HEALTHY WEIGHT

IN the next 10 years more than 50,000 Queensland children would move into the healthy weight range under a long-term government obesity strategy.

Only 66 per cent of children aged five to 17 years in the state are within the healthy weight range and Health Minister Yvette D’Ath has unveiled the National Obesity Strategy 2022-2032, to act as a blueprint to reduce overweight and obesity rates.

Led by Queensland Health, the strategy has been tailored to engage with adults and children to achieve positive and lasting results.

“This strategy has two main targets: the first is to halt and reverse the trend of rising adult obesity rates, and the second to reduce childhood overweight and obesity by at least 5 per cent by 2030,” the minister said.

“Meeting these targets means about 50,700 more children and teens would be in a healthy weight range, in Queensland alone.

“While preventing obesity into the future is the key focus, it is imperative we work across our public health system to ensure the 2.7 million Queenslanders above the healthy weight range continue to be supported to enable them to live their healthiest lives.”