Diabetes Queensland Welcomes Healthier Happier Campaign

Diabetes Queensland has welcomed the State Government’s new Healthier. Happier. campaign and acknowledged the role it will play in the fight against obesity.
“With two-thirds of Queenslanders overweight or obese, it is not an overstatement to say that the obesity epidemic is the single, biggest threat to the health of Queenslanders,” Diabetes Queensland CEO Michelle Trute said. “We hope this campaign encourages Queenslanders to eat less, eat better and get active. “We know obesity is a major factor in a number of chronic diseases including some cancers, heart disease and the world’s fastest growing chronic disease type 2 diabetes. “Obesity also costs the Queensland economy around $11.6 billion per annum and we can’t keep putting that on our credit card.
“Anything that raises awareness of the issues and prompts people to think seriously about their own health and behaviour is welcome.”
Ms Trute said successful campaigns were one part of an integrated strategy.
“This campaign is one piece of a complex puzzle,” she said.
“Diabetes Queensland hopes next steps include government interventions, such as a ban on fast food aertising to children and regulation of sugary drinks, as well as an investment in community-based support and interventions.
“This includes programs like our own Eat It which helps people make healthier choices, Need for Feed which teaches children valuable nutrition and cooking skills and the Swap It program which has already helped more than 8,000 Queenslanders live healthier lives.”
Ms Trute said while obesity was a complex issue successes in other areas of public health, such as smoking, showed widespread behaviour change was possible.
“As a community we turned smoking around because public awareness was paired with measures which encouraged a change in community and industry attitudes and empowered people to make healthier lifestyle choices,” she said.
“Hopefully in future years when we are all living healthier more active lives, we can look back at this campaign as a moment when we, as a community, really started to change our behaviour.”