Australia is today ranked as one of the fattest nations in the developed world. The prevalence of obesity in Australia has more than doubled in the past 20 years.
Australia has become accustomed to sitting down – at work, on the couch, in the car – and it’s taking a major toll on the health of individuals and our economy.
- Fourteen million Australians are overweight or obese
- More than five million Australians are obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 )
If weight gain continues at current levels, by 2025, close to 80% of all Australian adults and a third of all children will be overweight or obese. Australia’s increasingly sedentary lifestyle is part of the complex and widespread problem of obesity and other related health diseases, which contribute to the death of more than 7,200 people each year.
Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for non-communicable conditions like:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Type 2 diabetes
- Some types of cancer
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Kidney disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Endometrial, breast, and colon cancers
- Mental health and eating disorders.
We all need to be moving more – not just exercising 30 minutes – but regularly throughout the day. Mounting evidence shows even basic regular movement like standing up while at work can help prevent health issues like obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and even cancer.
Patients ask, “How can I exercise, lose weight and get healthy if the process hurts so much?” That’s where chiropractic care can help. It can help your body stay in alignment and reinforce your personal motives for weight-loss or more activity.
Chiropractic care is available to all ages and all sizes. Chiropractors provide hands-on, drug-free and non-surgical treatments, relying on the body’s inherent ability to heal. With weight-loss your centre of gravity changes, the demands on your lower back, hips, knees, ankles and feet have changed. The Chiropractor’s goal is to keep the body in balance.
As Chiropractors, we promote health, wellness, balance and active lifestyles. We provide our patients with strategies to improve their postures and help make everyday life a little easier. We help increase motion and flexibility. Chiropractic care is a conservative, safe and effective option of healthcare.
Chiropractors design exercise programs for people from all walks of life to maintain active lifestyles. For individuals who are obese or overweight, a chiropractor can identify and prescribe programs most suited to their medical condition, and coordinate comprehensive obesity management programs. They can help develop a program of exercise to increase your physical activity safely and effectively, and help identify necessary and achievable changes in your lifestyle.
Towards Wellness: Sitting is the New Smoking
From the driver’s seat to the office chair and then the couch at home, Australians are spending more time seated than ever. Living a sedentary lifestyle can be dangerous to your health. The less sitting or lying down you do during the day, the better your chances for living a healthy life.
If you stand or move around during the day, you have a lower risk of early death than if you sit at a desk. If you live a sedentary lifestyle, you have a higher chance of being overweight, developing type 2 diabetes or heart disease, and experiencing depression and anxiety.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H of the Month: Abdominal Stretch
- Lie down on your stomach with your face towards the ground and your palms facing the floor as though you are about to do a push up
- While keeping your pelvis firmly on the floor, gently push up your upper body from the ground
- Maintain this position for about 30 seconds before releasing
