Obesity in Australia

“You are what you eat… our quality health appliances makes healthy eating fun & easy!”
Tommy Nicholas- Sales & Marketing Director, Raw Blend

Obesity in Australia is an epidemic with increasing frequency. Australia is now the 3rd fattest nation in the world. In 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO) found that over 67.4% of Australian adults are overweight and over 20% are considered obese. Obesity in a child or adult is defined as a condition where excess fat has accumulated to the point that it can easily impair health.

Psychologically, being overweight can affect your body image and damage self-esteem. In some cases this can cause social anxiety and depression. Common physical problems include: difficulties breathing, difficulties walking or running, increased sweating, pain in the knees and back, arthritis, kidney stones and skin conditions such as acne.

The following medical conditions are also more common in obese people than in those of normal weight: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diseases related to hardening of the arteries such as heart attack and stroke (cardiovascular disease), type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer.

These days our food industry is dominated by processed, fatty foods and fast food giants. When you combine this with our busy, modern day lifestyles it’s extremely difficult to eat healthy and give our bodies the daily nutrition they require. Celebrity Chef and Health Advocate ‘Jamie Oliver’ said recently: ‘if the foods got a label on it then it’s probably not very good for you.’ We believe this to be true and there is no label on fresh fruit and vegetables, the way Mother Nature intended it to be. Get back to basics with quick, delicious whole food recipes made in the Vitamix. Look Better, Feel Better and Boost Vitality!

Lots of fruit and vegetables

Child Obesity

About 20-25% of Australian children are overweight or obese and the figures are increasing at an accelerating rate. This pattern, showing up since the 1980’s, is similar internationally. Australian children these days are also getting less aerobic exercise with the amount of aerobic fitness decreasing about .4% a year. If weight gain continues the path it is following, by the year 2020, close to 80% of all Australian adults and a third of all children will be overweight or obese. A study in Queensland showed that up to 30% of Australian children have low fitness levels while 60% have poor motor skills.

Obesity as a child is linked to an increase in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in an adult regardless of the adult weight. Being overweight as a child brings and an increase for heart related diseases like high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and high blood sugar. Child obesity is also related to many medical conditions like respiratory disorders, orthopedic problems, release of growth hormone, arthritis, and gastric problems.

Fresh whole foods and exercise are the best way to keep children healthy and in shape. However, most children don’t like eating fruit and vegetables because of the taste and texture. That’s why the Vitamix is such a vital tool in helping children receive the whole foods and nutrition they require. The Vitamix can make quick, smooth, nutritious meals packed with flavour that even the kids will love. We like to call this ‘stealth health.’ You can even hide vegetables (like cabbage and carrot) in the kids ice-cream made in the Vitamix and they will never know it was there.

“Since I was 13 years old my parents have owned a Vitamix machine. Like most teenagers I didn’t like eating whole fruits and vegetables and would much rather eat fatty, fast foods like McDonalds or KFC. However, every morning I would happily drink the large fruit smoothie mum had prepared. It tasted nice and sweet from all the blended natural fruit and I was not aware until I was older that mum was actually hiding all sorts of vegetables in my smoothies like spinach and cabbage (which I hated at the time).

Even today I don’t know how people live without the Vitamix. I could never sit down and eat a whole bowl of greens like: spinach, cabbage, kale, celery, parsley, mint, basil, coriander (all part of my morning smoothie). I would never have the time to do eat it and it would taste horrible. However, the Vitamix allows me to create a quick, tasty smoothie every morning so I can easily drink all these veg in seconds. What a great way to start the day!”
Tommy Nicholas- Sales & Marketing Director, Raw Blend

Click here for some of Tommy’s ‘Stealth Health Recipes’

Why do diets fail?

Diets fail because people are hungry and unsatisfied. People eat and eat and eat and yet they are still hungry, but why?

It’s because people are nutritionally starved. You can eat all the cooked food you want but your body is going to cry out for more if it has not succeeded in getting what is wants. What does it want? It wants nutrition; it wants vitamins, minerals, and living enzymes! Give your body alkaline and raw food and weight loss occurs quickly.

Fruits, vegetables, and a small amount of nuts and seeds give us the enzymes, alkalinity, and perfect ratio of carbohydrates, fat, and protein that our bodies need.

As a rule of thumb, eat more fruit if you are hungry. The simple sugars are what the human body runs on and needs. You will never be hungry again if you eat alkaline, raw foods. And the best part is you will be thin, fit, and full of energy.


Interesting Obesity Facts:

  • It has been estimated that the overall cost of obesity to Australian society and governments was $58.2 billion in 2008 alone.
  • Obesity was associated with over four million days lost from Australian workplaces in 2001
  • One in two Australian adults over 25 are living with high cholesterol? Meaning many Australians are potentially at risk of heart disease.
  • In 2008, 18.43 Billion Dollars was spent on just the top three prescribed medication brands available to the public (Lipitor for high cholesterol [7.7bill], Nexium for heartburn [5.89 Billion], and Plavix for CVD [4.83 Billion]. These medications treat (not cure) diseases that are largely preventable through diet and exercise.

www.obesityprevention.com.au