South Australians are being warned obesity is now the leading risk factor in preventable health conditions – overtaking smoking – with new modelling revealing its potential impact on life expectancy.

It comes as the Malinauskas Labor Government introduces new laws to State Parliament this week legislating a new independent health agency to tackle urgent preventive health issues such as obesity.

According to recent data, around 68 per cent of adults and 27.5 per cent of children across South Australia are currently overweight or obese. Modelling indicates that if no action is taken, the number of people overweight or obese is expected to grow by an additional 1,900 children and 48,000 adults over the next five years.

Alarmingly, recent modelling predicts that without action, children born last year could see as much as a seven-month reduction in life expectancy because of obesity, which is a greater impact than COVID-19.

The research also suggests that experiencing obesity in childhood can lead to obesity in adulthood, and obesity at middle age contributes to the chance of hospitalisation and serious health conditions in middle age.

Around 38 per cent of Australians are being impacted by health issues that could have been prevented if they reduced their exposure to risk factors including obesity, smoking, alcohol and drugs.

Tackling obesity and other concerning health issues is the focus of South Australia’s new prevention agency, Preventive Health SA – a key election commitment from the Malinauskas Labor Government.

This week, the Preventive Health SA Bill 2024 will be introduced to Parliament to secure the long-term future of Preventive Health SA as an independent health agency. Preventive Health SA brings together Wellbeing SA and parts of Drug and Alcohol Services SA in a single independent agency to strengthen the prevention agenda in South Australia.

Former Wellbeing SA head Marina Bowshall has been appointed chief executive of this important agency.

Preventive Health SA will lead evidence-informed, innovative and integrated action to prevent and reduce the burden of non-communicable health conditions and improve health equity across South Australia and future generations.

The agency covers the breadth of preventive health action and drives system-wide reforms by undertaking, commissioning, and evaluating preventive health policies, programs, and services, leading community education initiatives and collecting and monitoring population health and wellbeing data and publishing reports.

The Preventive Health SA Bill 2024 also establishes the Preventive Health SA Council to provide strategic advice and support to the Chief Executive, with its members to be selected based on their diverse health knowledge, expertise and experience.

For more information, go to the Preventive Health SA website.

Quotes

Attributable to Chris Picton

The increasing rate of obesity across our population is alarming. More than two in three South Australian adults and one in four children are now overweight or obese.

The predicted impact on our kids and their life expectancy is particularly concerning.

Addressing obesity and other health risks for South Australians is a key focus of our new independent health agency, Preventive Health SA.

These issues are so important for our future that we are putting this preventive health agenda firmly into legislation for the long-term.

With rising incidences of chronic illness and an ageing population, this agency is taking important action to support our community and reduce pressure on our health system.

Attributable to Preventive Health SA Chief Executive Marina Bowshall

Our agency is committed to making South Australia an even healthier state across generations by looking at ways we can combat the burden of preventable health conditions and their impacts on our health system.

Preventive Health SA is working to improve the health and wellbeing of all South Australians by implementing preventive health policies, programs and services, as well as monitoring and reporting on health data and developing new and enhancing existing partnerships.

We will continue to work in collaboration across government, non-government and other key sectors to strengthen involvement on the development of preventive health policies.