About LiveLighter
As a nation, we’re the heaviest we’ve ever been.
As at 2010, the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated that more than 4.3 million Australians, roughly one in four, were obese.
In Western Australia, the story is much the same. More than two-thirds of us are either overweight or obese.
Unfortunately, there is no magic pill. The solution to the problem is the same as it always has been - eating healthily and being physically active.
Last year, the Western Australian Health Department contracted the Heart Foundation (WA Division), in partnership with the Cancer Council of WA, to run a public education campaign to improve the health of Western Australian adults. The result - LiveLighter.
What is LiveLighter?
LiveLighter aims to encourage Western Australian adults to lead healthier lifestyles – to make changes to what they eat and drink, and to be more active. We want to help people understand why they need to take action and what simple changes they can make in order to ‘LiveLighter’.
Launching with mass media advertising, we’re taking Western Australians on a journey inside their own bodies to help them truly understand the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle - and the consequences of the alternative. At times, it’s graphic and confronting, but it has to be. We need everyone to realise that achieving and maintaining a healthy weight should be a high priority right now - and not something which can be put off “until tomorrow”.
We want everyone to think about the variety of healthy choices we could all make every day. This includes simple changes, such as turning down that extra slice of pizza, or leaving the car at home for short trips. You can see our advertisements here.
Explore the LiveLighter website to discover a wealth of information, tips, healthy recipes and other tools to help people live healthier lives.
LiveLighter is more than just an advertising campaign. While it’s important for individuals to make healthier choices, the environment we live in greatly impacts on those choices, so we’ll also be advocating for healthier environments. This means less promotion of junk food, better access to healthy food, better food labelling, and infrastructure and policies to encourage and support physical activity.
How can I get involved?
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First of all, commit to living lighter and healthier. Think about the ways you and your family can improve your lifestyle. Use our resources for more ideas and support. Try our healthy recipes. You can even register to use our FREE Meal and Activity Planner.
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Spread the word! Encourage your friends and family to make healthier choices and LiveLighter with you. Engage with us and join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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Hold a community event. LiveLighter has resources and merchandise available to order for events and professionals. Learn more by visiting the partners page.
What about the other public health campaigns?
LiveLighter is the latest campaign to encourage better health in Western Australia. It’s designed to incorporate the key messages from the Go for 2&5®, Find Thirty® and Draw the Line® campaigns, which are now no longer active.
The Heart Foundation (WA Division) and the Cancer Council Western Australia run a variety of other programs to promote healthy lifestyle choices. Some include:
Learn more about these programs at
www.heartfoundation.org.au and
www.cancerwa.asn.au.
Swap It, Don’t Stop It is a national campaign funded by the Federal Government. It aims to encourage people to make simple “swaps” each day to decrease the risk of developing preventable diseases. You can find out more
here. There is also a dedicated resource for health professionals explaining the similarities and differences between Swap It, Don't Stop It and LiveLighter. You can download it
here.