FRIDAY’S Preventative Health Summit will be live streamed to encourage the WA community to look at fresh solutions to obesity and drinking.
At least a third of chronic diseases are preventable, so summit’s aim is to encourage broader thinking and community engagement about ways to foster healthy lifestyles.
Experts and members of the community will share ideas to improve the health of West Australians and reduce the burden on the public hospital system.
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READ NOWHealth and Mental Health Minister Roger Cook will host the summit in conjunction with the Department of Health, the Mental Health Commission and Healthway.
“As a Government we are proactively looking for solutions to this problem, and I encourage members of the public, as well as industry, to watch the live broadcast of the summit and submit questions and comments for consideration,” Mr Cook said.
“We can’t do it alone though, and the summit itself will not fix the issues. I encourage the whole community to take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing by making healthy choices to reduce obesity and lower harmful alcohol use.
“This is a great example of multiple government agencies and the community coming together to benefit the health of West Australians.”
Viewers will be able to ask questions during the summit.
Follow the summit at http://www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/preventivehealthsummit from 9am to 4.30pm and join the conversation on social media with the event hashtag #WAPreventiveHealthSummit.
The outcomes of the Preventive Health Summit will inform the Sustainable Health Review.
In 2015, about two thirds of West Australian adults were too heavy, along with a quarter of children aged five to 15 years.
The 2016 National Drug Strategy Household Survey revealed nearly one-fifth of the West Australian population aged 18 years and over, reported drinking at levels placing them at risk of lifetime alcohol-related harm.
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