In 1995, ASSO prepared a landmark document titled 'Healthy Weight Australia' A National Obesity Strategy. The document stressed the need to increase the proportion of the Australian population who maintain a healthy weight throughout their lives. 

This initiative helped to provide the necessary impetus for the establishment of a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Working Party to progress ASSO's goal of designing and implementing a preventative strategy. As the NHMRC is the peak, Commonwealth government funded agency for health-related matters, the development of this Working Party effectively guaranteed the progression of ASSO's agenda and also increased the likelihood of sustained support.

Considerable time and effort on the part of many key players and consultations with and submissions from a range of sectors, resulted in the production of the next key document, 'Acting on Australia's Weight: A Strategic Plan for the Prevention of Overweight and Obesity,' early in 1997. Following the launch of this document, two key consultancy opportunities were advertised by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services. The first was to develop an implementation strategy, in consultation with key stakeholders, to guide the implementation of the new strategic plan. The second was to undertake the development of National Physical Activity Guidelines.

The progress outlined above has been complemented by synergistic developments with other National initiatives. The Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services and the Australian Sports Com-mission has jointly progressed 'Active Australia,' a framework for action for physical activity and health. The next step is to attempt to progress nutrition, physical activity and overweight and obesity agendas concurrently. In this way, there is every chance that important and overlapping initiatives can progress together and 'feed' off each other.

ASSO, other relevant professional and scientific groups, the Commonwealth and many State governments are fully supportive of these exciting initiatives. There is considerable excitement about the progress to date and an anticipatory mood as we move to the next stage and the identification of priorities within the implementation plan. Whilst the primary focus has been on prevention, there is also a strong commitment to the establishment of best practice in treatment and management of overweight and obesity. A committee is currently being formed to address the last two points.

In summary, Australia is well placed in the development of strategic initiatives to prevent overweight and obesity. An on-going commitment by key stakeholders, along with government support augurs well for the future.

Plans for a series of meetings were announced in Tokyo where members of the IOTF took part in a WHO consultation on the Behavioural and Socio-Cultural Aspects of Preventing Obesity and its Associated Problems. The regional sessions are designed to develop regional strategies and are scheduled to begin later in the year. The first is expected to be  take place in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region in early summer although no date has been set.

The series will follow  through on the worldwide consultation held in Geneva in June 1997 held with IOTF support. The report of that consultation was circulated as an interim document last year, but a long-awaited formal WHO Technical Series Report on Obesity is not expected to be ready for publication for several months.

The aim of the December consultation in Tokyo was to: 
* review and analyse emerging trends of nutrition transition, and behavioural factors 
* review approaches for behavioural change
* review and analyse country experiences in promoting healthy diets and lifestyles 
* develop guidelines for subsequent development and implementation of national strategies
 
The 26 participants invited included 11 country representatives mainly from the Asia-Pacific region. The IOTF representatives included Prof Philip James, Prof Ian Caterson, Prof Shiriki Kumanyika, Dr Tim Gill, Dr Ricardo Uauy  and Dr Boyd Swinburn.  Other speakers included Dr Barry Popkin, Dr Aila Rissanen, Dr Manuel Pena, Dr Martin Caraher, and Dr Sara Johnson. A number of non-governmental organizations also attended.

The consultation highlighted the need for a practical guide for the development of coherent national strategies for the prevention of obesity. The meeting was chaired by Dr Pirjo Pietinen from Finland and Dr Srunath Reddy from India. The Japanese National Institute of Nutrition, supported by the Japanese government, hosted the consultation which was arranged by Chizuru Nishida of the WHO nutrition programme in Geneva.