By BRIDGET SCOTT
CARDINIA Shire Council will get behind a new campaign to be rolled out in the area regarding the risks of being overweight.
The LiveLighter campaign highlights the health impacts of toxic fats and the risks of being overweight.
This program, co-ordinated by Cancer Council Victoria and the Heart Foundation, aims to educate Victorians about the risks associated with being overweight or obese and simple changes people can make to their lifestyle to become healthier.
Cardinia Shire Council, through the Healthy Together Cardinia Shire initiative, will support the campaign and shire Mayor Graeme Moore encouraged all locals to get involved.
“In Cardinia Shire, many adults are overweight or obese, putting them at greater risk of heart disease, type two diabetes and cancer.
“This is very concerning, so this campaign will complement and support the work being undertaken by Healthy Together Cardinia Shire by raising awareness of the risks of being overweight or obese,” he said.
Cr Moore praised the practicality of the program and how it demonstrated to people changes they could make to become healthier.
“We’re excited about the new LiveLighter campaign because it does more than just try to motivate people to lose weight.
“It also explains why they need to take action and provides useful tips and tools, such as the online meal and activity planner, to help them make changes,” he said.
The campaign is part of a major preventive health movement currently underway in Cardinia Shire as part of Healthy Together Victoria, which places opportunities for better health at the centre of our everyday lives.
Healthy Together Cardinia Shire will be hosting health and well-being events to help Cardinia Shire residents get involved with the campaign.
Healthy Together Cardinia Shire was introduced more than a year ago, with the aim to create a healthier shire.
During this campaign various forums have been hosted and community leaders have been educated about how they can make their workplaces healthier.
Various food businesses and cafes also agreed to be part of the Healthy Bites program through the Healthy Together initiative.
By singing up to this, businesses agree to have a certain number of healthy options on their menu, recognisable by the Healthy Bites sticker that will appear next to the food choice.
