Dr Capolingua discusses proposed subsidies for weight-loss programs

DR CAPOLINGUA: Well, I think we have to think about what's already been going on with weight-loss programs. A lot of people attend 10 or 12-week weight-loss programs in the hope that they lose a few kilos, and many of them do succeed in losing some kilos over that period of time. Unfortunately many then, when they step off the program and go back into their normal lifestyles, the weight comes back. I've got lots of patients that I know have attended many weight-loss programs over the years, so I'm not sure that this $170 contribution, even though it seems well intended, is actually going to solve the obesity problem in this country.

SIMON BEAUMONT: That says more about the weight-loss programs themselves, doesn't it, Rosanna, you're saying that long-term they don't work, some of them don't work?

DR CAPOLINGUA: Yes, some of them. You know, it depends on the individual always, doesn't it? And the outcomes of those weight-loss programs often show that people go on them and they'll yo-yo, so they'll go on them, they'll lose the weight, and go back to normal lifestyle. What we have to do is educate people. We need a really strong public education campaign so that people get to understand what are good, healthy life choices for them, in dietary intake, and also that they need to expend energy, in other words, they need to exercise, need to stay active.

We've got a lot of basic messages that we need to get out about the consumption of cool drink and soft drink, that it's such an unnecessary excessive, caloric thing in our diet, pre-packaged and pre-prepared foods that we don't have the control over the fat or the salt intake in them, the fast food take-away issue obviously, the marketing to kids, there are a lot of things we need to do, and $170 for a short weight-loss program I don't think is a priority, because I don't think it'll deliver the goods.

SIMON BEAUMONT: Rosanna, we've known about this post-war, I suppose really, as our standard of living has increased, we've known that as a community, as a society, that weight problems are more prevalent, what we have been doing in the past hasn't really worked, because the situation's not really going away, is it?

DR CAPOLINGUA: No, the situation at the moment is getting worse. But I'm sitting here, I'm actually sitting on Hay Street, looking at people walking past me, and I haven't spotted an obese Australian at this particular interval in time. Maybe it's just a good morning and a good space.

But I guess we have to remember that a lot of us do manage to live a good, healthy lifestyle, and do manage to exercise, and stay well. So let's tap into the ability for that to occur, and know that we can assist those people who are having difficulty in that area.

A lot of it is about, you know, we're so busy, it's hard to keep fresh foods in the fridge and really accessible, it's hard to prepare those sorts of meals, or we've got no control over them. Mums are working, looking after kids, and trying to keep them all fed and all the other things that they need as well, and the packaged food that's being marketed very heavily to us, has been something that we've gone to because it's been easier, and we have been told that it's actually good for the kids. Now we need to be told the truth about all of those things, and we need to step back to apples and cheese sticks and celery, and sandwiches.

SIMON BEAUMONT: OK, the time has come, no doubt about it. Just finally Rosanna, there's general support, widespread support, and Government support I suppose, for providing subsidies and concessions for people that are trying to kick smoking, for example. Why is that different, is that because nicotine is addictive, is that a different sort of set of parameters we apply to people giving up smoking, as opposed to people who are trying to lose weight?

DR CAPOLINGUA: There's certainly been very strong, public health campaigns with the anti smoking message, and Government has helped underpin some of those QUIT campaigns, and there's a lot around, and we've had a huge impact in those areas, so that's also been supported with Government legislation. You know, the banning of tobacco advertising, and now legislation to ban smoking in confined spaces, public spaces et cetera.

We have certainly been looking to the Government to look at the banning of junk food advertising and marketing to kids during kids' TV times. We need to have very good labelling, even if it's like stop lights - red, yellow and green labelling of food - so that people can look at a packaged product and see quite quickly whether or not the fat intake, or salt or sugar contained in those products is something that they should stay away from.

We've got a lot to do, a lot of big, broad campaigns that'll educate the public in general. I would hate for the $170 subsidies to be gobbled up by weight-loss programs that are out to tap into a ready market.

SIMON BEAUMONT: All right. Rosanna, as always, good to talk to you.

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