With well over half of the population being overweight or obese in Australia, I wonder if people really are aware of the potential health risk that they allow themselves to be exposed to.

Being overweight and the development of obesity in this country has hit epidemic proportions and is continuing to grow at an alarming rate. If it’s continuing to grow then I can only imagine that people are not getting the message about how serious this problem is for their long-term health and the health of this countries Medical Industry to cope with it.

Millions of dollars are spent each year by our government [Medicare] on the treatment of conditions that are directly related to the self-abuse of overeating and lack of physical activity. I wonder if Medicare itself would be in better shape financially if the people it supports would get into shape. Billions of dollars would be saved if people would take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing. Will this ever happen? I’ll leave that answer up to you.

I am constantly amazed by the number of people that tell me that they don’t have any time to eat sensibly and exercise.

These same people seem to have plenty of time to sit and eat more food than they need. It is a choice if you are overweight. For whatever reason, you choose what to eat, how much to eat and if you have the time to exercise. We must stop using excuses and take responsibility for our own actions. After all we live in a lucky country, no one is forcing us by gunpoint to do anything.

Potential risk of being overweight:

Heart Disease Back problems Certain Cancers

Diabetes Snoring [Obstructive sleep apnea] Lack of fitness

Gallstones Lack of energy High blood pressure

Sleepiness High Cholesterol Knee, other joint problems

High blood sugars Skin problems Breathing difficulties

Sex problems Low self esteem Relationship problems

Many of you may already be able to relate to a few of these, and I hope are taking responsible steps to improve your conditions.

For those of you who aren’t too concerned then it’s time to re-evaluate your current thinking and start to make some positive plans for a healthy future. Many of the illnesses and conditions I have listed will shorten your life quite dramatically and the others will make it very uncomfortable. The interesting thing is that if you contract any of these illnesses or conditions from being overweight, then it’s fair to say they are preventable.

Making the time to eat sensibly and get plenty of exercise is always going to be the best choice for your long-term health.

See your doctor regularly for check ups and seek professional help for diets and exercise from qualified Dietitians/Nutritionist, Physiotherapist and Personal Trainers.