Challenge is on to find southwest's healthiest community

Weight loss, waist girth loss and total steps are three challenges on offer, to battle bulge and get fit and healthy.

TAKING THE CHALLENGE: Andrew Smith and Rohan Ballon, from South West Hospital and Health Services. Picture: Contributed

HEALTH experts from around the region have combined forces to challenge residents to improve their health.

Throughout May and June, southwest communities will be challenged to boost their health, to see which community records the best overall health improvements across three categories.

Weight loss, waist girth loss, and total steps achieved are three challenges on offer for residents of the southwest, as a fun initiative to battle the bulge, reduce the size of waistlines and get fitter and healthier.

South West Hospital and Health Service Healthy Communities project officer and community nutritionist Rohan Ballon said the challenge would be an opportunity to promote fun rivalry around the region.

"The southwest challenge is part of the Healthy Communities initiative, aimed at getting people moving more, and thinking more about their health,” he said.

"The 2018 chief health officer's report found obesity was a major problem in the southwest, with one in three locals self-reporting as having an unhealthy weight, including children aged 5-17.

"We want to help our residents consider how risk factors such as sedentary and inactive lifestyle, unhealthy weight and eating, smoking and alcohol consumption are impacting on their health and lifestyle.

"Unhealthy and risky behaviours can and do lead to potentially preventable hospitalisations and premature deaths,” Mr Ballon said.

The Southwest Health Challenge will run from May 1 until June 30.

For information on getting healty, go to www.10000 steps.org.au/south-west- health-challenge.

Originally published as Challenge is on to find southwest's healthiest community