A new television campaign targeting obesity in the ACT has kicked off with a series of confronting advertisements.
The LiveLighter project is backed by the Heart Foundation and the ACT Government.
Heart Foundation ACT chief executive officer Tony Stubbs said 63 per cent of adults in Canberra were overweight or obese.
“In fact seven out of 10 males are overweight or obese,” he said.
“It is a major problem and the way we’re communicating to people around this issue and the way we’re supporting people is clearly not working.
“The issue is large and what we’re doing is not working, so we need to do something that’s actually going to start the conversation with people.”
Mr Stubbs said the ads would bring people face-to-face with the health impacts of “toxic fat”.
“There are good and bad fats, but there’s really strong evidence now that fat around your waist – or toxic fat – actually releases chemicals which are doing you harm,” he said.
“We also know from research that if you do have fat around your waist you’re at a higher risk of getting heart disease, diabetes and cancer in the future.”
Consultant cardiologist at Canberra Hospital Walter Abhayaratna said helping Canberrans reach a healthy weight was a priority.
“Obesity is a significant public health challenge because it is one of the leading causes of preventable death and disease in our community,” he said.
“People know it’s important to eat a balanced diet and be active, but many of us struggle to make healthy choices.
“The reality is that small, easy changes really do make a positive difference to your health.”
The LiveLighter campaign is part of the wider ACT Government Healthy Weight Initiative which also includes consultation with doctors and schools.