Health Promotion on Obesity Research Paper 2022

Running Head: HEALTH PROMOTION ON OBESITY
Health Promotion on Obesity
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Abstract
Obesity and overweight is a great public health problem not only in Australia but also globally.
Obesity comes from a sustained imbalance in energy which can be influenced and determined by
an individual’s genetic and biological features, as well as lifestyle factors. This paper brings
together numerous information to establish a picture of obesity in Australia. The paper discusses
various health promotion and prevention strategies aimed at minimizing or reducing the impacts
of obesity in the country. Health promotion of physical activity, taxes on unhealthy foods and
beverages, restricting advertising on convention media and social unhealthy food products, and
regulating elite sport sponsorship.

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Health promotion on Obesity
Introduction and Background information
The rise in obesity for many decades has been dramatic globally, especially in Australia
and the western world. The rates of obesity as well as overweight in Australia have been
gradually climbing. Prevalence of obesity has become one of the major focus for the federal and
state governments in Australia and globally (Miljkovic et al., 2015). The government of
Australia has recognized it as one of the nine priority areas of public health. For instance, in
2015, 27.5% infants and 63.4% adults were classified as obese or overweight, with the models
estimating vital rises in the prevalence of serious overweight or obesity by 2026 (Body Mass
Index greater than 35) (Croyden et al., 2018). The economic, social and health impacts of obesity
are vital, entailing enhanced risk of lifestyle diseases such as heart-related diseases, cancer, as
well as type diabetes, and a decreases in the quality of life. It should be noted that in 2008, the
economic cost of the overweight was approximated at $57.3 billion, entailing government
subsidies, cost of productivity, and loss of wellbeing. An increasing body of literature recognize
the effect that changes in the food setting, entailing the enhanced availability, promotion of
energy-rich and dense, foods, increased affordability, food and beverages poor in nutrients are
having on dietary behaviors as well as rates of obesity and overweight.
It is key to note that unhealthy diet has been considered as one of the major preventable
lifestyle risk factors for world disease burden (Sainsbury et al., 2018). Therefore, from the
economic as well as health viewpoint, there is a serious need to prevent obesity and promote the
healthiness of diets. A NOURISHING framework has been developed by the World Cancer
Research Fund international to pinpoint the numerous regulatory framework which governments
should undertake, that is, food environment, behavior and lifestyle change, and food systems

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(Sainsbury et al., 2018). The government of Australia at the federal and state level have given
priority strategies to behavior changes, investing public health funds into environment-based
programs and education campaigns for prevention of obesity at the individual and community
level (Croyden et al., 2018).
However, the question that lingers on the mind of the people is what regulatory measure
the government has adopted to promote obesity prevention such as promoting healthier food and
beverage setting as well as enhanced individual and community level dietary lifestyles? It should
be noted that Australian Capital Territory, the New South Wales, as well as the South and
Queensland adopted the mandatory kilojoule signage in fast foods hotels, even though more
states have not taken action. This paper will critically discuss the interventions or health
promotions to minimize or reduce obesity.
Obesity Prevention Measures
It should be noted that reducing the prevalence of obesity will require a coordinated
interventionist and whole-of-the-society approach as opposed to single intervention or policy.
Food and Beverage Tax
Australians are usually confused concerning nutrition requirements, labeling of beverage
and food, as well as the relationship between overconsumption of food and beverage and obesity.
Inadequate consumer comprehension in the market for beverages and food especially processed
beverages and food is a well-known case of market failure (Hernández-F et al., 2019). Thus,
giving solutions to market failures which lead to overconsumption of unhealthy beverages and
food should be given priority by different governments especially the Australian government. It
should be noted that Australian government should introduce food and beverage tax which lead