Obesity project on world stage

Yarriambiack Shire Council’s obesity-prevention program YCHANGE has sparked interest from public health experts from around the globe at a World Congress on Public Health in Melbourne.

Deakin University research fellow Jill Whelan, who presented about YCHANGE at the event, said public health professionals were showing a strong interest in the work in rural and remote communities, particularly Yarriambiack Shire where the obesity rate was one of the highest in Victoria. “Rural and remote communities are known to have a higher prevalence of people who experience unhealthy weight and related health outcomes compared with metropolitan areas,” she said.

“Our work has potential to reverse these trends and is generating attention from public health professionals.”

Ms Whelan said that the activities implemented as part of YCHANGE were starting to affect the health behaviour of Yarriambiack residents.

“We have done a lot since the program started 20 months ago,” she said.

“Traffic light-food labelling, healthy food policies, better food choices at key venues and in catering, parent information sessions, walking groups and promotion of water as the drink of choice are some of the major changes we have implemented across the shire so far.

“Uptake and support from residents for some of these strategies is very important and is growing by the day.

“We are starting to see physical changes in the community and this is very promising for the future. A healthy environment makes it easier for people to make healthier choices.”

Ms Whelan said public health professionals were likely to keep an eye on Yarriambiack’s YCHANGE program.

She said they would want to know if residents’ improved health affected the prevalence of unhealthy weight and reduced future avoidable hospital admissions.

YCHANGE stands for Yarriambiack – Creating Healthy Active Nourished Generations.

Ms Whelan emphasised the importance of collaborative partners and acknowledged their involvement was crucial for positive health outcomes.

Major financial sponsors are the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, Royal Flying Doctor Service and Rural Northwest Health.

YCHANGE is a partnership between Rural Northwest Health, Deakin University, West Wimmera Health Service and Yarriambiack Shire Council.