Our Lifestyle Leads Downwards; Does Australia Care?
It is exasperating how, worldwide, possible solutions are being implemented and debated but no action has been taken throughout Australia. This is, of course, referring to the issue of obesity and poor nutrition.
But why are we fatter than we used to be? During 1985, childhood obesity affected about 1% of children but by 1996, over 5% were classified obese or overweight. These levels had risen to around 25% by 2008 demonstrating that with each generation, the abundance of obesity increases. This all points the blame at a large lifestyle change, and who can overlook the advances in technology that allow so many forms of entertainment at our fingertips and simplify many practical tasks as well. It is possible to watch hours of choice movies and television programs without leaving the room, and purchase anything imaginable while sitting at a computer.
The truth is that many Australians are simply moving less than was previously normal. There are those who go out of their way to exercise but our modern lifestyle with tiring, although often stationary, working hours does not encourage regular physical labour. It seems that being active is no longer a necessary part of day to day life.
The future generation is being pushed into eating high calorie foods. Even though advertisements of such foods are restricted at times when children are most likely to be watching, the brands are infiltrating into positively associated areas of our health habits. So many sports are now surrounded by sponsors’ logos subtly advertising junk food from chocolate and soft drinks to fried chicken and burgers.
Consider Coca-Cola’s advertisement that aired in the USA during the lead up to the Olympic Games. Featuring Jessica Long, the well-known Paralympian who holds five world-records and ten gold medals so-far, Coca-Cola pictured her swimming in her backyard as a child before defeating world championships and drinking a bottle of Coca-Cola. The voice-over says it reminds her of home but the images infer that it’s her constant, dependable companion. Why would a 20 year old who’s given up ice-cream for a year be drinking Coca-Cola. Anyone seeing that advertisement would think that Jessica loves Coca-Cola and would want the same satisfaction that is evident of her face, therefore wanting to drink Coca-Cola. Even being alert for advertising tricks, seeing an athlete drink Coca-Cola makes us think that it can’t be that bad. This seems harmless enough but studies show children are 20% more likely to buy a food and think it is healthy if it is endorsed by an athlete or sports star.
Our problems are not only from eating the wrong foods, it’s that we’re eating too much and too often. The thought of three square meals a day has gone out the window, sometimes replaced by, three not-so-square meals, sweet ‘treats’, salt-high snacks and flavoured drinks. Perhaps these are just the luxuries of life which are now possible but it is difficult to deny that there is a potential threat to our future health.
It is, however, too easy to assign blame and hypothesise reasons. The real issue is what can be done.
Educating people about the fat and sugar content of processed food and exposing children to good eating practices throughout their school programs is vital to positive change. If schools would firmly establish habits of frequent physical activity, children would unconsciously carry this on into adulthood, undoubtedly benefiting themselves and their peers.
Multiple European countries have already employed a junk food tax to deter people from buying high calorie, low nutritional foods and drinks. The high price of wholesome foods, like basic meat, fruit and vegetables, supplies the perfect excuse for Australians to buy fast food and snacks. So, why not use a similar system with tax added to nutrient deprived foods and subsidies on healthy, wholesome foods? Over 70% of Australian participants currently support such a solution, including those with lower-than-average incomes, according to a survey conducted by the Obesity Policy Coalition. This would simply make people think differently about how much they’re eating and, consequently, establish better-considered and balanced diets.
While any attempts to reduce the Australian obesity rate are potentially brilliant, they are practically useless, and creators of unnecessary arguments, if no effects are evident. Surely this calls for a way to systematically monitor the Body Mass Index and general health of Australians, in particular, young children. Instead of taking irregular surveys, an annual, confidential, health check, incorporated into the primary school curriculum, would easily give everyone a consistent understanding of Australia’s children’s health.
Whatever is done, it needs to be done soon. Whether we have to pay more for junk food or if our deteriorating health motivates us to change, the steady increase of Australia’s obesity rate needs to be checked and we rely on the currently action-less government to bring about that change.
Bibliography
Theage.com.au (November-2010) ‘Childhood Obesity Exaggerated: Expert’ Available From: http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/childhood-obesity-exaggerated-expert-20101109-17l58.html [Accessed 1st September 2012]
Young, D (August-2012) ‘Everyone Picks on the Fat Kid’ Available from: http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/4189284.html [Accessed 1st September 2012]
Barry, P (March-2011) ‘Just Chew It: How Sport Is Super-sizing Our Kids’ Available from: http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/03/07/just-chew-it-how-sport-is-super-sizing-our-kids/ [Accessed 1st September 2012]
Betts, M (May-2012) ‘Fat Tax to Fight Obesity Crisis’ Available from: http://www.news.com.au/money/cost-of-living/fat-tax-to-fight-obesity-crisis/story-fnagkbpv-1226360023728 [Accessed 1st September 2012]
Riley, D (June-2004) ‘Fast Food: Supersizing Kids’ Available from: http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/29797 [Accessed 1st September 2012]
Statistics are shocking at how unhealthy our society really is.
It is sad to think that we are no longer exercising and playing outside and rather caught up in all this technology and other things that compromise our physical activity.
I completely agree with your statement that it is too easy to assign blame and that we should rather be thinking of what can be done to fix the issue.
All the points you have made are valid and it is a very well written piece.
Great work Hannah. 🙂
I entirely with your argument Hannah. It is distressing to see advertisements for products like milo cereal and energy drinks, using imagery of high achieving sportsmen and women using the products to achieve success. Whether these claims of support from athletes are legitimate or not, the amount of exercise required to offset the sugar, fat and salt content is far more than an average person would do daily.
I fully support the idea you mentioned of a junk food tax and believe it would be a positive step in changing peoples attitudes and habits around junk food consumption.
*I entirely agree with your argument Hannah.
Your discussion, Hannah, has triggered a very pressing matter of which I cannot help but react to with such emotional enthusiasm. I find it quite upsetting that healthy and nutritious foods such as vegetables and good quality meat is of a questionable price, as fast food is quicker and cheaper to come by. Not only is packaged and processed foods that cause many to lead an unhealthy life easy to snack on in the modern lifestyle, but it is also very difficult to say no to. I very much agree with Clare’s comment in that junk food taxing would be a positive enforcement, promoting a healthy change to Australian’s lifestyles.
Keep up the good work Hannah.
Yes, a junk food tax probably will have a positive effect. You only have to walk down an isle in a supermarket and see litres of soft drink for $1 to tell this. However, i think that though it would help, it’s not the right solution. Why should everyone be taxed and forced to pay more for food just because some are unable to control their eating habits? I think that good nutrition really does start at home, with the parents. Parents need to be educated more on how to cook nutritional meals on a budget – good food doesn’t necessarily mean expensive food. Buying a weeks worth of vegetables and spreading them out across the course of the week can actually be a lot more affordable than buying a big mac every night. A bit more exercise wouldn’t go amiss either.
This is a GREAT article Hannah. I think far too many Australians eat too much fatty and salty foods. There are also more people who are playing less sport which is contributing to an obese nation. I think athletes should be banned from being in advertisements that promote unhealthy foods. They are supposed to be role models for kids. Overall I think you have covered a really important issue, very well written too 🙂
I totally agree that Australia should start educating people about the food content, especially school children who are less aware of the damage bad eating choices has on the individual. I believe it’s a good idea to start frequent physical activities in schools, we would all benefit from a change like that.
Implementing a junk food tax could be a great strategy to preventing Australians from buying unhealthy food and setting bad habits for themselves and their kids. With the percentage of obesity rising, this could be a big turn-around for Australia, and hopefully further countries to come.