Australian Olympic Committee and UC Professor tag team for long-term battle against overweight and obesity

4 March 2020: Experts say that the battle against obesity is a long game – and developing physical literacy in children is key to the ultimate win.

“As we mark World Obesity Day on 4 March, it’s time to change our approach to effectively deal with the issue – we need a strategy backed by both research and practice,” said Professor Dick Telford AM from the University of Canberra’s Research Institute for Sports and Exercise (UCRISE).

Professor Telford and the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) CEO Matt Carroll AM collaborated on a submission to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Health Council for a National Obesity Strategy (NOS) to deliver “real and tangible outcomes” in the long term.

“Olympic sports believe a partnership with government leadership in health, sports and education can create a unified view and a unified solution,” Mr Carroll said. “We need to get kids physically active.”

The strategy proposes that physical education be revitalised in public primary schools and linked with sport as an integral part of the curriculum, to develop children’s physical literacy and help set them up with healthy habits that last a lifetime.

AOC CEO Matt Carroll AM said such a strategy requires fundamental change and ongoing practice.

“The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) firmly believes in the critical role organised sport can play in tackling the growing problems of obesity and other medical issues that can be delayed or prevented by the exercise benefits that sport conveys,” Mr Carroll said.

“With the National Obesity Strategy identifying that two thirds of the Australian population is likely to be overweight or obese by 2030, the AOC made a submission to the strategy in late 2019 arguing for a new approach, and championing the role of the 40 Olympic National Federations in that approach.”

The strategy is anchored in research driven by Professor Telford, Dr Rohan Telford and Dr Lisa Olive from Deakin University, particularly the Australian Lifestyle of our Kids (LOOK) project.

This multidisciplinary, longitudinal research project began in 2005 with a cohort of then eight-year-olds. It will continue to study them throughout their lives.

Two of the peer-reviewed publications from the LOOK study show that adolescents with a higher percentage of body fat were less physically active, and that contrary to popular opinion, fatter children did not consume more energy, fat, carbohydrates or sugar.

“These data support the premise that difference in the levels of physical activity is the main source of variation in the body fat percentage of Australian children,” Professor Telford said.

“Therefore, physical activity should be at the forefront of any effective strategy to tackle obesity, in addition to a strong focus on nutrition quality.”

“These findings are good news, because it makes more sense to focus on the positives of enjoying more physical activity, than on the negatives of restricting dietary intake, especially for young people.”

With colleagues from the University of Canberra and Deakin University, Professor Telford developed the Physical Education/Physical Literacy (PEPL) program for just this reason.

The program provides students with opportunities to spend time in physical activities, such as quality physical education coaching and PE breaks between classes. It is being trialled in South Australian primary schools this year.

Professor Dick Telford is available for interview.

Contact the University of Canberra media team:

Suzanne Lazaroo, Communications Officer
0409 140 415 | suzanne.lazaroo@canberra.edu.au