Government called to action on obesity and climate change
Australian politicians must act quickly to combat the rise of obesity and its life-threatening disease consequences, and the great threats to health from global climate change, according to a letter published in the Medical Journal of Australia.
The letter has been endorsed by 300 medical and health practitioners, including 40 professors of medicine and health sciences.
Prof Garry Egger, Adjunct Professor of Health Sciences at Southern Cross University, NSW, and his co-authors write that big health gains have been made since the onset of industrialisation.
“However, we are now seeing the emergence of health risks caused by excesses in market-driven consumerism, energy-subsidised exertion-free living, an over-arching preoccupation with gross domestic product and population growth,” Prof Egger and his co-authors said.
They propose that the Australian Government convenes a high-level ongoing forum to discuss post-growth alternatives to unsustainable, consumption-based growth as the economic norm, and that the Government establishes a multidisciplinary taskforce to develop an Australian population policy.
“We must seek a sustainable economic system and stable population size that ensures prosperity without endangering both health and environmental quality,” they said.
Prof Egger said that in light of the health profession’s experience with the smoking-disease debate, health professionals recognised the serious threat posed to population health by the delay of governments in translating acknowledgement of health hazards into effective public health interventions.
“One in three children born today will become obese and/or diabetic in their lifetime, and the population at large will face increasing health risks from climate change,” Prof Egger said.
“With climate change, we lack the luxury of time – and the stakes are much higher. Hence, a prudent, precautionary strategy to tackle the big issues is essential.”
The Medical Journal of Australia is a publication of the Australian Medical Association.
The statements or opinions that are expressed in the MJA reflect the views of the authors and do not represent the official policy of the AMA unless that is so stated.
CONTACT: Prof Garry Egger 09 9977 7753 / 0408 643 914