NSW childhood obesity rates critical, as officials admit tougher action is needed

• One in five NSW children now qualify as overweight or obese.
• Just five per cent actually eat the recommended amount of vegetables.
• The NSW Government admits drastic action is needed to reduce these figures even slightly.

A new report from the NSW Department of Health finds that one in five NSW children are now considered overweight or obese.

A combination of poor diet, inadequate physical activity and “normalised” obesity is thought to be the cause of overweight kids doubling since the 1980s.

While the body mass index tool used to assess results isn’t perfect, the report does show a bleak snapshot of the children’s lifestyle.

• 22 per cent are overweight or obese.
• 5 per cent eat enough vegetables.
• 64 per cent eat enough fruit.
• 28 per cent get sufficient exercise.
• 44 per cent spend more than two hours a day on a sedentary activity.

Let’s say that again: 72 per cent of NSW kids do not get enough exercise and 95 per cent do not eat enough vegetables. This is heartbreaking.

How to fight the growing problem.

The NSW Government admits it will struggle to meet its targets of reducing childhood obesity by 5 per cent in the next 10 years, despite it being one of Premier Mike Baird’s key priorities.

“It is an ambitious target as no country has been successful in reversing the trend in child overweight and obesity,” says Mr Baird. “We have made some good headway with the programs in place but we will now step up new actions in order to gain further traction.”

Hopefully, the new actions arrive soon – and offer the support and solutions that parents and schools need to help fight this growing problem.

What do you think the NSW Government should do to help curb childhood obesity rates?

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