Louise Miller-Frost (Boothby, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Two-thirds of Australian adults now live with overweight or obesity and 25 per cent of Australian children aged two to 17 are either overweight or obese. This is a public health crisis. Being overweight or obese is a substantial risk factor for many conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. It's a public health issue because, while the impact of being obese or overweight is borne by individuals, it is a society-wide issue with causes that impact all of us to some degree.

The rate of Australians who are either overweight or obese has risen since the 1970s, and there are two major changes we have seen at the society level that are linked to this. The first is the rise of energy-dense and nutrient-poor food. While we point the finger at fast food and highly processed food, there are also foods that we might otherwise consider to be relatively healthy which have additional fats, sugars and salt added to increase shelf life and taste. This is compounded by the fact that, as we become more time-poor, we are less likely to have the time to source and cook fresh, healthy food, the nutrient-rich and lower energy food that our bodies need.

The second change is that we are increasingly a more sedentary society. While we used to get a lot of incidental activity in our lifestyles, many of us now spend more time sitting at work and leisure and, instead of walking places, we're more likely to drive even short distances.

Addressing overweight or obesity generally does require lifestyle change, which sounds so easy but really isn't because we're asking individuals to make ongoing changes in their lifestyles, not just do a one-off activity that once done stays done. We're asking people to make a different choice in terms of their diet and activity levels all day, every day. This happens in the context of the society we live in, the choices that are put in front of us every day and the pressures and activities that each individual needs to fulfil to meet their other obligations to family and to work.

It's helpful to have a team on your side. A local GP can be a great support in making and continuing changes as well as monitoring general health. The Albanese government is strengthening Medicare, making it cheaper and easier to see a GP so that Australians have support to take actions that promote good health. The recent tripling of the bulk-billing incentive is an important part of that and one that I know has been very welcomed in Boothby. We have also introduced a new Medicare rebate for consultations of 60 minutes or longer. This enables doctors to provide intensive support to people with complex needs, such as those who are overweight or obese.

We have made additional investments to support primary health networks to improve access for multicultural communities, and we're updating the 2013 clinical practice guidelines for the management of overweight and obesity to reflect current research. We have invested in incentive payments for healthcare providers to deliver wraparound tailored care to keep patients with complex conditions healthy in the community.

But addressing overweight and obesity is not just an issue for the health system. We need broader societal measures. So we are collaborating with the food industry to make positive changes in their products, such as food reformulations and appropriate portion sizes. We have asked Food Standards Australia and New Zealand to review nutritional labelling around added sugars to empower consumers to make the right choice for themselves.

The other part of the puzzle is activity levels. We're investing in services such as Reclink, which provides a fun sport and recreation program for disadvantaged Australians, because having fun is part of maintaining motivation. Our Sporting Schools program will build participation in physical activity in school-aged children, and we're working with the Australian Sports Commission to deliver a national sports participation program aimed at physically inactive populations and those who have stopped playing sport.

Overweight and obesity is one of those wicked problems around the world and it's no different here at home in Australia. We as a society need to work together, all of us, particularly those who are affected, or we will start to see life expectancy heading backwards.

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