The figures released this week regarding obesity and kidney disease in south-east NSW are alarming.
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That 63 per cent of Australians are considered overweight and obese is scary enough; that the figure jumps to 69 per cent for our own region is worse.
It is yet another number our region appears to be on the wrong side of, along with economic disadvantage, school retention and unemployment.
However, it’s a number that can be changed.
A woman who has learned a thing or two about numbers in recent weeks is the cheerful Ella Oakman, pictured left.
The registered nurse at The Manor retirement village in Batemans Bay is featured on our front page today, showing off the more than 13,000 steps she walked in one shift.
The Bay Post/Moruya Examiner is curious to know how many steps our readers walk in their average working day.
Ella was the first person we reached out to, lending her a steps monitor to wear for one shift.
You can be next.
If you think you can beat Ella’s step count, please email community.eurobodalla@fairfax
Our hunch that anyone working in health stood a good chance of clocking up a good few kilometres was proven correct.
Our other hunch that she would probably quadruple the steps taken by most Bay Post/Moruya Examiner employees on an average working day was also proven right, though the true contest would only begin if there was a way to measure our flying keyboard fingers.
Working lives spent at desks and leisure time spent on the couch are part of what is killing us too soon, as the report published today shows.
From next Friday, we’re beginning a regular health and exercise feature, celebrating those readers who have or are transforming themselves. In the March 17 edition of the Bay Post/Moruya Examiner, we’ll bring you the story of one reader who has taken slow but steady steps towards a healthier weight and lifestyle.
We’re interested in those who have made a decision to exercise more, eat more healthy food or made another important life change to boosts their physical and mental health.
Let us know if you deserve celebrating, or nominate someone else.