Open AccessSetting Population Targets for Measuring Successful Obesity Prevention
Author(s) -
Kathryn Backholer,
Helen Walls,
Dianna J. Magliano,
Anna Peeters
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.2010.200337
Subject(s) - obesity , context (archaeology) , environmental health , public health , baseline (sea) , medicine , population , weight loss , weight gain , gerontology , body weight , body mass index , demography , political science , geography , endocrinology , nursing , archaeology , sociology , law
In 2008, The Council of Australian Governments set a target to increase by 5% the proportion of Australian adults at a healthy body weight by 2017, over a 2009 baseline. Target setting is a critical component of public health policy for obesity prevention; however, there is currently no context within which to choose such targets. We analyzed the changes in current weight gain that would be required to meet Australian targets. By using transition-based multistate life tables to project obesity prevalence, we found that meeting national healthy weight targets by 2017 will require a 75% reduction in current 5-year weight gain. A reliable model of future body weight prevalence is critical to set, evaluate, and monitor national obesity targets.