World Cancer Day’s (Feb 4) theme of childhood obesity highlights the urgency for the Australian Government to adopt its own Preventative Health Taskforce’s recommendations for a comprehensive national obesity strategy in 2009, Cancer Council Australia said today.
Cancer Council Australia Chief Executive Officer, Professor Ian Olver, said the International Union Against Cancer’s World Cancer Day theme for 2009, with its aim to “encourage an energy-balanced lifestyle”, reflected the significance of childhood obesity to lifelong cancer risk.
Professor Olver said amid the ongoing debate around childhood obesity, there were three important, incontrovertible facts: overweight and obese children were at high risk of becoming overweight or obese adults; overweight or obese adults had a significantly increased cancer risk; and Australia had one of the world’s highest rates of obese and overweight children.
“Put these together and we’re facing a potential spike in obesity-related cancers, including breast and bowel cancer, over the next few decades,” he said.
“So World Cancer Day should remind the Government that we must act now to reduce childhood overweight and obesity, and prevent thousands of premature cancer deaths in Australia.”
Professor Olver said the Government had shown good leadership in forming a Preventative Health Taskforce comprising some of the nation’s leading experts in chronic disease prevention, which was currently consulting with the community about its draft recommendations.*
“But the test will be the Government’s willingness to implement the Taskforce’s recommendations, which will require tough decisions around food marketing, production and labelling, and building communities that support physical activity,” he said.
“With government looking to circulate surplus budget funds to help offset the global financial downturn, World Cancer Day 2009 is also a timely reminder that funding public health programs is a proven investment, providing strong returns through reduced healthcare costs and a healthier, more productive population.
“Obesity cost Australia’s health system $2 billion last year and reduced productivity by $3.6 billion – so investing in a strategy to reduce obesity and overweight would make good economic sense, while helping thousands of Australians to reduce their risk of cancer over the long term.”
*Available at http://www.preventativehealth.org.au/internet/preventativehealth/publishing.nsf/Content/discussion-technical-1
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Lesley Branagan, 0439 827 781 lesley.branagan@cancer.org.au
Glen Turner, 0412 443 212 glen.turner@cancer.org.au