ABSTRACT
There is widespread acceptance in Australia that chronic disease is a major economic and social issue. Rates of overweight and obesity continue to rise, increasing from 44 per cent of adults in 1989 to 63 per cent in 2012 (National Health Performance Authority 2013). It is projected that in 2025 over 80 per cent of Australian men and 75 per cent of women will be overweight or obese (Department Human Services Victoria 2008). This has serious consequences for life expectancy, rates of disability and quality of life. The financial burden for the Australian economy will be massive. In 2012, expenditure on health was estimated as over AU$130 billion annually, representing 9.4 per cent of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP). This has increased from 8.2 per cent ten years earlier (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2012). Australian governments are understandably concerned about this burgeoning health care bill and are looking to preventive measures to halt the growth in chronic disease.
