If you missed the Health Department’s 2010 WOW Week, then here is the speech delivered by Elizabeth Re.

2010 WOW week

ERE presentation I May 2010 THEME

 

The theme of Women in Wellness for 2010 , is to

 

MOVE MORE.. EAT WELL.. FEEL GOOD.. LOOK GOOD

 

So where do we start, we need to look at the basics!

what we do and what we eat ! sustainability !

 

Despite Australia having one of the highest life expectancies in the world, many Australians suffer from chronic illness. Chronic diseases – such as some cancers, heart disease and type 2 diabetes – are estimated to be responsible for nearly 80 per cent of the total deaths and injury in Australia.

 

Evidence has shown that certain lifestyle behaviours promote the onset of chronic disease. These include being overweight (obese), not getting enough physical activity, smoking, alcohol and drug consumption and unhealthy eating.

The aim of this program is to promote and facilitate understanding, appreciation and a positive attitude towards adopting healthy eating, physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight.

 

Obesity, tobacco and alcohol feature in the top seven preventable risk factors that influence the burden of disease, approximately 32% of Australia’s total burden of disease can be attributed to these risk factors

 

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Australia has been steadily increasing over the past 30 years.

In only 15 years, from 1990 to 2005, the number of overweight and obese Australian adults increased by 2.8 million.

 

( which is more than the whole population of western Australia )

 

Recent national data on the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children, available from the National Children’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey 2007, indicated 17% of 2–16-year-olds were overweight and

6% obese

 

Mention the newspaper article as this issue is very current

The West Australian Thursday 29 April page 13

News, page 13

A British obesity expert has warned of alarming rates of overweight children in WA, with an estimated 90,000 children as young as four carrying too much weight. International Obesity Taskforce policy chief Tim Lobstein estimated 6000 WA children aged four to 18 had high blood pressure, 13,500 had high cholesterol and more than 27,000 had abnormal insulin levels. About 10,000 had metabolic syndrome, a deadly cluster of risk factors for heart disease and stroke usually only seen in adults. Dr Lobstein, brought to Perth by Curtin University and Healthway, said almost one million WA adults were overweight or obese. The combined numbers would swamp GPs, who would be unable to cope with the tidal wave of weight-related illness…Dr Lobstein said governments needed to do more to combat childhood obesity, including restricting the number of fast food outlets near schools and addressing the tax on junk food versus healthy products. Curtin University professor of health policy Mike Daube said the implications of the obesity epidemic were frightening. “We were world leaders in healthy lifestyles, but we are now rapidly becoming world leaders in overweight and obesity,” he said. A Melbourne anaesthetist has also warned growing numbers of obese patient are creating a major headache for Australian hospitals and doctors.

 

So what can we do ? What can you do ?

We can eat differently such as eating and cooking more at home, teach our kids that a corn on the cob is better and more fun to eat than a takeaway hamburger !

Instead of getting in the car to buy the corn from the shop, walk to the shop, bring a footy along the way, play on the swings in the park on the way home from the shop ( work up an appetite ) . Instead of doing one big shop once a week, take several trips to the shop, small loads and walk each time and think about what you are buying, such as buy the ingredients to make a carrot cake with the kids and not one already made.  Get the kids to plant the top of the carrot on the garden and let them watch nature at work as it grows and then it can be picked and the top cut off again and into the garden and so they healthy circle of eating and cooking and growing continues, while our children realize the goodness of food and stay healthy

We need to ensure that are children are playing team sports which is good for their mental and physical health and by example of the kids watching parents and adults eat properly and keep fit, even if it is just walking the dog .

Instead of the kids turning the television on in the morning, take the dog go for a walk around the block or go down to the park and catch butterflies or count the birds ? how many black ones, white ones ? green ones ? .

Meet your friends at the beach, the river or the park, get the kids out and about so we can stay and grow healthy together

The more exercise we do , the better food we eat the better we will all feel and the less time we will spend feeling sick or being at the doctors so remember

A small change in our lifestyle, our habits, and our behaviour can lead to a huge change in our quality of Life

So what do we do ? Can I hear you ?

MOVE MORE.. EAT WELL.. FEEL GOOD.. LOOK GOOD

Say about the other venues for WOW  week  and say  go into your local library or website and they will tell you more what’s on www.nmahs.health.wa.gov.au

 

Other WoW Week activities will run at venues throughout the metropolitan area include:

City of Swan:

Monday 3 May, 12.00-2.00pm

at Midland Square, Midland

healthy lifestyles for women who live/work in Midland

City of Stirling:

Wednesday 5 May, 11.00am-2.00pm

at The Beach House: Kids Fun Centre, 5 O’Malley St, Osborne Park

fun activities for mothers with young children.

City Of Wanneroo:

Wednesday 5 May, 9.30am-11.30am

Six simultaneous “Walking for Women “ events starting at:

•           Butler Community Centre, Butler

•           Banksia Grove Community Centre, Banksia Grove

•           Jenolan Way Community Centre, Merriwa

•           Hainsworth Centre, Girrawheen

•           Yanchep Community Centre, Yanchep

•           Wanneroo Library and Cultural Centre, Wanneroo

For further information about other WOW activities in your area please see the WOW Calendar in the welcome board

 

It has taken nearly thirty years to reduce smoking in the community, lets not take thirty years to address obesity

 

So don’t forget, we need to be spend the money we earn on healthy food and lots of activity as that will save us money in the long run

 

And remember :

 

MOVE MORE.. EAT WELL.. FEEL GOOD.. LOOK GOOD

Thanks for being part of our day to make Western Australians the healthiest state in Australia