Well done if you took your Easter eggs on a hike of Mount Coot-tha and only ate them once you reached the summit.
University of Queensland School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences researcher Professor Wendy Brown believes there is a simple reason for the “global obesity pandemic”.
“We eat too much and we move too little,” Professor Brown said.
“These days we try and be fancy and blame it on a particular type of carbohydrate or fat. There are whole magazines devoted to it.
“We need to stop arguing about the finer details and think about consuming less and exercising more.”
Named last week as a Global Energy Balance Network founding board member, Professor Brown said people could introduce small changes each day to reduce their obesity risk.
She said Australian women gained an average 10kg between the ages of 20 and 40, and that could be the difference over time from eating one extra Tim Tam a day above their metabolic rate.
“I’m not saying that Australians eat like pigs. It’s small energy imbalances that are getting us in trouble,” Professor Brown said.
“To everyone that enjoyed Easter by moving more, good on you.
“It is easy to combine moving with having fun.
“This is a great time of year to get out and do something you like that involves exercise, whether that be playing a game with friends, riding your bike or going for a swim.”
The Global Energy Balance Network was initiated by 10 leading scientists from around the world, brought together to create public discussion about obesity.
Professor Brown is the Oceanic representative on the board.
Media: Professor Wendy Brown +617 3365 6446, wbrown@uq.edu.au; Robert Burgin at UQ Communications, +617 3346 3035, +61 448 410 364, r.burgin@uq.edu.au.
