If you live in Australia you have no doubt seen the “Measure Up” campaign on TV or heard it on the radio numerous times. This campaign aims to encourage Australians to make and sustain positive changes to their lifestyles, which we at MissFit PT support.
So how do you measure up?
We all know that unhealthy eating and not enough physical activity is bad for us. But do we know why? Sure, if you add these two things together, you may put on weight. But why does it matter if you are carrying a few extra centimetres around your middle?
Well, having excess weight around your waist is a likely sign of dangerous internal fat deposits around your organs – and this is where the problem lies.
In 2005, approximately 7.4 million Australian adults (54 per cent) were overweight or obese – 2 million more than in 1995. Being overweight or obese has also recently overtaken tobacco smoking as the leading risk factor for premature death and disease in Australia.
For most Australian women a waist measurement of over 80cm means you are at increased risk of developing a chronic disease. If your waist measurement is over 88cms for women, your risk greatly increases. Chronic diseases include type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. (For ethnic specific values for waist circumference please see website www.australia.gov.au/MeasureUp).
To help avoid the crippling effects of obesity on the health system, the economy and to individuals, the Australian Government, together with state and territory governments, is running a campaign to educate people about the risk factors for chronic disease, and how people can make simple changes to their lifestyles to help reduce their risk.
These changes might be as simple as taking the stairs rather than the lift, taking a walk with friends rather than meeting for coffee, making sure you eat a healthy breakfast, and eating smaller portions of food. Joining a MissFit PT group training session and starting a new exercise plan! Now there’s a thought.
To assess your risk and to find out what measures you can take to improve your life simply sign up to receive your FREE online health and fitness analysis with MissFit PT. Plus we’ll throw in 2 free group training sessions for your time.
It’s never too late to make positive changes!