Health study concludes: ‘Fatter in city than on coast’

Geelong men and women are fatter than residents of the Surf Coast, according to new State Government figures.
But the Victorian Population Health survey shows residents in Borough of Queenscliffe, Victoria’s smallest municipality, are thinner than either of their neighbouring counterparts.
Surf Coast women also drank and smoked more than their Geelong counterparts, while both genders in all three municipalities should eat much more vegetables.
Health Minister David Davis said the survey of about 7500 adults showed smoking was down but Victorians had “kept steady on abusing alcohol”.
“The reduction in smoking rates shows that people, when given support, can and do take control of their own health and lifestyle and take positive steps in improving their wellbeing.”
The survey found that almost two thirds or more of men and women in each of the three municipalities engaged in sufficient physical activity.
But Mr Davis was concerned about limited vegetable and fruit content in all diets and rising rates of obesity.
“Just 52 per cent of people surveyed met the recommended minimum daily intake of two or more serves of fruit and less than one in 10 met the target of five or more serves of vegetables each day,” he said.
“While the proportion of men and women who were overweight has remained constant…the prevalence of obesity has increased.”
The survey figures, released last Friday, were gathered in 2009.