$5.3m on ‘fat chance’

MICHELLE HERBISON
A $5.3 MILLION program to change the “wicked ways” of unhealthy Geelong residents by 2015 is doomed to fail, according to a councillor.
Stretch Kontelj said he doubted the National Partnership Agreement on Preventative Health (NPAPH) would reduce Geelong waistlines.
“These people have abused their bodies for decades and I don’t see that a four-year program will save them from themselves,” he said.
Council voted this week to implement the federally funded program with 11 new staff to coordinate healthy-living programs.
Organisations including Bar-won Health, Food Security Working Group, Kids Go for your Life, Diversitat, community houses, youth programs and community gardens would participate.
A study showing Geelong was one of the worst areas in Victoria for overweight and obese residents put the city in line for the program.
The study found that 60 per cent of men and 48 per cent of women were either overweight or obese in Geelong.
Eighty-eight per cent of residents failed to consume enough vegetables and 44 per cent ate inadequate amounts of fruit.
Cr Kontelj believed taxpayers were “sick and tired” of assuming responsibility for other people’s lives.
“Society can’t keep forking out money to support people who are overweight and unhealthy,” he said.
“Council’s responsibilities are roads, footpaths and community facilities including sport ovals and swimming pools. There are plenty of facilities already there to motivate people to get fit and healthy.”
Cr Kylie Fisher, who holds council’s community development portfolio, supported the program.
She said it would target children at school, kinder and child care centres as well as adults.
“Kids actually take this stuff on,” Cr Fisher said.
“We want to get the information into our little people to improve future health and quality of life in Geelong.”
Cr Fisher said Geelong had a strong track record in preventative health programs.
The funding would help council reach its goals to improve health, she said.
“We need to do better, particularly with nutrition and physical activity.”