A GROUP of researchers and health experts is continuing work to address obesity in Yarriambiack Shire.
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Yarriambiack – Creating Healthy Active Nourished Generations, or YCHANGe, is a partnership between Rural Northwest Health, Deakin University, Dunmunkle Health Services, and Yarriambiack Shire Council.
The group formed after research showed more than 70 per cent of Yarriambiack adults are overweight or obese, the worst statistics in Victoria.
Yarriambiack also has Victoria’s highest sugar-sweetened beverage consumption rate.
University research fellow Jill Whelan said YCHANGe aimed to help health services reduce avoidable hospital admissions.
“These admissions come at a cost to this community, its health services, workforce and the future health of our children,” she said.
“It will not go away without effort from the community.”
Ms Whelan said the program’s main goal was to make it easier for residents to make healthy choices that would lead to improvements in healthy eating and physical activity.
“We are looking at the broad environmental causes of unhealthy weight,” she said.
“These include things like the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables, the cost of healthy and unhealthy takeaway food and importantly the food Yarriambiack children consume on a daily basis.
“There is still a long way to go in terms of raising awareness to the shire’s 7000 residents of how YCHANGe will improve their health.”