Queensland enters the obesity campaign.

Late last year the Western Australian government launched a confronting advertising program and website aimed at reducing the obesity rate in that state. The LiveLighter campaign shows images of fat inside the body. At the time of launch it was considered by many to be confronting rather than encouraging. The website is www.livelighter.com.au

Recently the Queensland Department of Health  launched the state’s $7.5 million campaign to shock residents into reducing the obesity rate for the Queensland. The program will continue for three years and includes a telephone information and coaching service called “Get Healthy”. The Government is also thinking about using the advertisements from Western Australia as part of the broad campaign.

The Department of Health for Queensland has figures that show that nearly a third of adults in the State obese or overweight, which has doubled in the last 16 years. The report these figures come from is dated 2012 and also shows that one in five children in Queensland is overweight and nearly one third of the total number of children in the state are obese.

Obesity is a major national issue but advertising and campaigns are not the way that we reduce it, it is people who will reduce it. Ultimately, it is up to people themselves as to what they put in their mouths, so hopefully these dramatic advertisements and campaigns can help make people think twice before they eat and about what they eat.