RESIDENTS of Tullamore and Tottenham have set a healthy example for communities in the rest of NSW by tackling the problems of overweight and obesity.
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About 10 per cent of their populations shed a total 100 kilograms to win the inaugural NSW Healthy Towns Challenge aimed at helping smaller centres become healthier.
Now the challenge for participants will be sticking to the diet and exercise regimes and keeping the weight off.
While the challenge was limited to only five communities, it carries strong messages for the rest of Western NSW, where 79 per cent of residents are overweight or obese.
You can (and should) change your life-style and health. You can control it and avoid risk of more serious medical problems. You just have to make the commitment, change your habits and go for it.
The Director of the NSW Office of Preventative Health Chris Rissel handed over plaques and cash prizes in the winning towns on Tuesday. He hopes residents will sustain their health changes and said the cash will be used to buy exercise equipment.
Mr Rissel said he had heard personal stories about people who had never exercised (until the challenge) but had lost 18 kilograms, and about a person who had only been able to stand for 30 seconds at a time but could now stand comfortably and walk around.
The program is worthwhile and government should consider expanding it across the region.
