Technical Paper 1:
Obesity in Australia: a need for urgent action
3.2.3 - Leadership and coordination
- 1 - Executive summary
2 - Obesity in Australia
3 - Obesity prevention- 3.1 - What could be achieved in obesity control
- 3.2 - What is required to address the problem
- 3.2.1 - Prompt action
- 3.2.2 - Multi-faceted, multi-sectoral response
- 3.2.3 - Leadership and coordination
- 3.2.4 - Role of individuals
- 3.2.5 - Role of governments
- 3.2.6 - Role of healthcare systems
- 3.2.7 - Social determinants of health
- 3.2.8 - The environment
- 3.2.9 - Working with industry
- 3.2.10 - Population-wide focus
- 3.2.11 - High-risk groups
- 3.2.12 - Costs
- 3.2.13 - Research, monitoring and evaluation
- 4 - Potential initiatives
- Conclusion
- References
- Addendum for October 2008 to June 2009
Obesity arguably poses a greater challenge to national public health management than either tobacco or alcohol. Effective action on overweight and obesity at a population level demands strong leadership and intelligent coordination of a staged approach that will sustain action in the long term. Partnerships and cooperation across the public and private policy spheres are required, and must involve all aspects of national, state and local governments, the non-government sector, industry, business, private interests and local communities, and occur across all levels of government and within and across sectors. The health system, despite the need for wider engagement, has a key leadership role in mediating among different interests, ensuring citizen engagement and advocating for policy directions that support better health.
It is clear that all members of society have a crucial role to play in tackling Australia’s obesity crisis. This is reflected in data from a national survey commissioned by the Heart Foundation in 2006, which asked a large representative sample of Australians who should play a major role in addressing Australia’s weight problem. Australian adults believe that there are many parties who should be involved: the greatest proportions felt that parents of overweight children (94%) and adults who are themselves overweight (80%) should play a major role. Health professionals (74%), media (65%), companies that make/market food products (65%) and governments (52%) were also perceived to play a major role. The vast majority of Australians felt that all these groups should play either a major or minor role in addressing the nation’s weight problem (87% or higher for each sector).[43]