In 2024, overweight and obesity were the leading cause of preventable disease in Australia.1 Adult obesity rates in Australia have nearly tripled in the last 30 years, and it is projected that more than 18 milli Australians, will have overweight or obesity by 2030 if effective interventions are not implemented.2 There is sufficient evidence that overweight and obesity increase the risk of 13 types of cancer including bowel, breast, kidney and liver.3,4 Addressing these risk factors is an important objective for to reducing Australia’s cancer burden given obesity and overweight have reached record levels in the Australian population.
We recently expanded the National Cancer Obesity Prevention policy to include treatment and management. This included conducting an evidence review and engaging key experts in obesity prevention, treatment and management to assist with the development of evidence-informed recommendations.
Five overarching priority areas were identified: 1) Implement actions under the National Obesity Strategy and the National Preventive Health Strategy; 2) Create environments that support healthy eating; 3) Support Australians through social marketing campaigns encouraging healthy eating behaviours; 4) Promote equitable access to quality, evidence-based, obesity treatment and management services; 5) Eliminate weight stigma in the prevention, management and treatment of obesity. A comprehensive, multifaceted approach is required to mitigate rising obesity rates in Australia while effectively addressing weight stigma.
Governments have a critical role to play in creating environments that support healthy choices and addressing inequities in access to evidence-based treatment and management services. Therefore, we are calling on the Federal Government to commit to priorities that support action to reduce the burden of obesity.