obesity in australia

Obesity in Australia health stage 2
By Alison Marchant

Within Australia obesity is a serious issue, which is growing increasingly difficult to control.
3 out of 4 people in Australia are considered at least overweight. One of the main causes of obesity in Australia is fast food. The amount of processed, chemically added, sugar filled food that is being sold in shops over the country is alarming. With Growing fast food companies that provide quick and easy meals are the reason that not only America but also Australia have increased in the amount of obese people. Approximately 28% of males and 28% of females were considered to be obese between the years of 2011 and 2012. In 2014, more than 1.9 billion adults, 18 years and older, were overweight. Of these over 600 million were obese. (Nhmrc.gov.au, 2015)

Not to mention, that Australia is third highest country of obese and overweight people. Australia is on a downfall, over a year, the population spends more the 37 billion dollars on fast food, and increase of 4 billion over the last three years, and this is equivalent to 343 hamburgers for every man, women, and child around Australia.
Jamie Oliver put forward a great point, “Diet-related disease is the biggest killer in the United States, right now, here today. This is a global problem. It 's a catastrophe. It 's sweeping the world. England is right behind you, as usual.” With just a little change in the diet of Australians, we can prevent weight related death, which has risen dramatically since 2007. Jamie Oliver shows not only does the average child eat over 5 times its amount of sugar, but schools are selling possibly a gateway for obesity. (Oliver, 2010)
The known issues that lead to obesity are right in front of people’s eyes, yet they still seem to allow their children to eat it, even knowing the consequences and that they are the future of the country. These fast food restaurants are saturating children and adults with junk food advertising, particularly through sport, and television this means that many parents are ' 'fighting a battle ' ' against the junk food industry. In 2013, 42 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese. The future of not only Australia but the world will be peppered with disease and sickness. (Raisingchildren.net.au, 2015)
Obesity in Australia many people don’t take it seriously, as fast food is not only ‘tasty’ but is also considered addictive due to the large amount of fat, sugar and additives. Sugar its self when though of or related to releases the chemical reaction dopamine this makes the brain find it addictive. Children in particular are being persuaded by their proper gander and toys. MacDonald’s Happy meals are the highest selling kids fast food in the world. In 2007-08, one quarter of Australian children which is around 600,000 children that were aged between 5-17 years old were considered overweight or obese, this has gone up four percent from 1995. The rate for children (aged 5-17 years) increased from 5.2% in 1995 to 7.5% in 2007-08. Studies have shown that if a child starts off obese, or their environments allows them to become obese, they are more likely to stay obese into adulthood and it is harder for them to lose the weight, and also have an increased risk of developing diseases associated with obesity. (AIHW, 2004).

Around the world, many people don’t take the illnesses and diseases that are related to obesity seriously. Many are preventable and most illnesses that are related to high body weight, these can be easily avoidable, these include heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure and cholesterol, respiratory problems that includes sleep apnea which is where the fat surrounding the throat relaxes and stops people from breathing, osteoarthritis which is pain of the joins when large continuous amounts of weight are pressuring the joints, and some cancers. As pointed out these illnesses and growing problems can all be solved easily. If Australia in general lowered the amount of fast food and extra additives, Australia’s obesity epidemic wouldn’t be such a problem.
A large sum of the population has office/desk jobs, which don’t allow them to have the right amount of exercise a day let alone a week. There are always ways that can help lower the amount of people that are and are becoming obese. Not only Australia but around the world. A steady and healthy diet and regular exercise could help people come away from many illnesses, as well as a shortened life. More ads on tv should put forward how bad high cholesterol and sugar and fat are, as well as showing a cheap and healthier alternative. Portion sizes are also a good alternative, having smaller and more often snacks aswell as your 2 fruit and 5 vegetables.

References

Primary Sources:
*Murray, K. (2015). Naturopathy and Obesity in Australia. (Murray, 2015)

Secondary Sources:
Oliver, J. (2010). [image] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCM2PZ-SFTk [Accessed 13 Mar. 2015].
Australia 's fast food addiction, (2012). [TV programme] 7: Today Tonight.
Slowing down fast food. (2012). 1st ed. [ebook] Monica Gagnon. Available at: Anon, (2015). 1st ed. [ebook] Available at: https://www.stopcorporateabuse.org/sites/default/files/resources/slowing_down_fast_food_corporateaccountabilityinternational.pdf [Accessed 26 Feb. 2015]
Nhmrc.gov.au, (2015). Obesity and Overweight | National Health and Medical Research Council. [online] Available at: https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/health-topics/obesity-and-overweight [Accessed 13 Mar. 2015].
Raisingchildren.net.au, (2015). Childhood obesity in Australia | Raising Children Network. [online] Available at: http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/childhood_obesity.html [Accessed 13 Mar. 2015].
Gofor2and5.com.au, (2015). home. [online] Available at: http://www.gofor2and5.com.au/ [Accessed 13 Mar. 2015].

References: Primary Sources: *Murray, K. (2015). Naturopathy and Obesity in Australia. (Murray, 2015) Secondary Sources: Oliver, J. (2010). [image] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCM2PZ-SFTk [Accessed 13 Mar. 2015]. Australia 's fast food addiction, (2012). [TV programme] 7: Today Tonight. Slowing down fast food. (2012). 1st ed. [ebook] Monica Gagnon. Available at: Anon, (2015). 1st ed. [ebook] Available at: https://www.stopcorporateabuse.org/sites/default/files/resources/slowing_down_fast_food_corporateaccountabilityinternational.pdf [Accessed 26 Feb. 2015] Nhmrc.gov.au, (2015). Obesity and Overweight | National Health and Medical Research Council. [online] Available at: https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/health-topics/obesity-and-overweight [Accessed 13 Mar. 2015]. Raisingchildren.net.au, (2015). Childhood obesity in Australia | Raising Children Network. [online] Available at: http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/childhood_obesity.html [Accessed 13 Mar. 2015]. Gofor2and5.com.au, (2015). home. [online] Available at: http://www.gofor2and5.com.au/ [Accessed 13 Mar. 2015].