In their quest to address Victoria’s growing obesity problem, Australia’s first obesity jury proposes to ban happy meals and require preschoolers to take healthy cooking classes.

The jury, composed of 100 randomly selected community members, presented their potential solutions at the University of Melbourne, as reported in the Herald Sun. The forum was coordinated by the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, or VicHealth, which aims to recommend practical and workable actions to improve people’s eating habits and tackle rising rates of obesity.

The jury also proposed to ban the display of high-sugar foods and drinks at check-out aisles to help prevent impulse purchases. They said the government should consider legislation to stop companies from advertising junk food to children, as well as imposing a ban on non-food ¬incentives such as toys inside unhealthy foods. Taxpayers are also proposed to subsidise healthy foods for low-¬income earners.

“Obesity is the number one health issue facing Australia. Being overweight or obese can lead to back, mental health and reproductive problems. It increases the risk of potentially life-threatening conditions like Type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, heart disease and cancer,” says VicHealth chief executive officer Jerril Rechter in a statement.

One in four children and two in three adults are overweight or obese, VicHealth states on its website. Without urgent action, it states three in four adults and one in three children are expected to be overweight or obese by 2025.

Obesity rates are rising rapidly, despite the best efforts of government and public health bodies, Rechter said. She explained that the citizen’s jury, which is the first to be convened on this scale in Australia, poses an opportunity to try something different.

According to Rechter, the jury includes men and women from almost every walk of life, such as health workers, firemen, tradies, business owners, students and retirees. After learning about obesity from experts for six weeks, the jurors spent the next two days hearing further evidence from experts in behavioural science and public health as well as senior government and industry leaders before retiring to consider their recommendations.

Each proposal that the jury made will be reviewed in November by a panel of key decision-makers from the government, industry and public health. Rechter said there will be clear actions as a result of the forum, since the jury’s recommendations will be carefully considered. The best proposals will be selected to be trialled or implemented, she added.

Contact the writer at feedback@ibtimes.com.au or tell us what you think below.

RELATED STORIES