Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

A new study into healthy behaviours among the Australian population has revealed worrying statistics. After analysing key healthy lifestyle markers, researchers found only 5 percent of the population were following these basic guidelines.

Scientists from the University of Sydney used information from the 2004 – 2005 Australian National Health Survey, which collected data from over 16,000 people. Their aim was to examine the effect of obesity on healthy lifestyle behaviours, by looking at three key diet and lifestyle areas and comparing participants to the standard health guidelines. These were:

• eating at least 2 pieces of fruit per day
• eating at least 5 serves of vegetables per day
• doing at least 150 minutes of exercise over at least 5 days

Only 55 percent of people were eating enough fruit, 15 percent were eating the recommended amount of vegetables, while 25 percent were meeting the activity guidelines. Most people were doing one of the three, but only 5 percent were managing all.

This alarming information corresponds with the more recent report by the Chief Health Officer of NSW, which found only 5 percent of men and 10 percent of women were eating enough vegies.

These are all worrying statistics. Fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight are basic health goals. While they’re vital for having good health and plenty of energy for your daily life, most importantly they will reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and other chronic diseases in the future.

How to improve your health

It’s really worthwhile trying to improve your health. Concentrating on fruit consumption, vegetables and physical activity and working on what you do in those three areas will give you a big health and energy boost.

• Rate your own performance. Have a think about what you’re currently doing and compare that to the standard guidelines.You’ll probably find your habits, in the three areas of fruit, vegetables and activity, are quite varied. While there may be one of the health goals you achieve every day, there may be another area you rarely manage.
• Pick one area to work on. Once you know how your current diet and lifestyle stacks up, then choose one of the areas to improve.
• Set yourself a target for the next two weeks. Given the area of your health you’re targetting, decide on one or two goals for yourself. If it’s fruit, then a goal may be to eat an extra piece every day. If it’s physical activity, you might decide to do three half hour walks each week. Or you could try to have a salad for lunch every day.
• Reality check. Take a few moments to reflect on how realistic that goal is. If you’ve got a manic week at work and your social life is out of control, finding the time to exercise for even twenty minutes might be too difficult. However you could probably manage to eat some fruit. Ask yourself if the goal you’ve set is do-able in the next two weeks.
• Schedule this in your diary. There’s no point in setting yourself diet and lifestyle goals and then merely hoping you’ll find time to do them. Instead, get out your diary and set aside the time you need. If you’re planning to eat more fruit, when are you going to buy it? If it’s more exercise you’re after, when are you going to fit it in your week. Want to cook more vegies at home, how many nights will that be. Block out the time you need to achieve your goals and tick them off once completed.

In two weeks, review what you’ve done and then set yourself another goal and keep on edging yourself towards better health.

04 September, 2007