Healthy push subtle as a sledgehammer
CANCER Council Queensland hoped the State Government's move to fund a three-year public health campaign would be effective in curbing the alarming overweight and obesity rates in Australia.
The controversial messages of the campaign are based on Western Australia's Live Lighter campaign which features graphic images similar to those used in anti-smoking and road safety messages.
Cancer Council Queensland's Katie Clift said a new approach was needed. "This is the first campaign of its kind designed to reach all Queenslanders and encourage greater awareness of healthy weight.
"Clearly the softer tactics to move people toward healthier lifestyles have not been working as well as we hoped."
She said hopefully a campaign like this could make a difference.
Health Minister Lawrence Springborg said the campaign would prove controversial, but the existing approach had failed.
He said some people wouldn't like it - but then some people didn't like the anti-smoking messages and they didn't like the road safety campaign.
