Baker Heart research Institute – Obesity is a key risk factor and major contributor to some of Australia’s most important health problems. This includes cardiovascular disease (CVD), its common precursor Type 2 diabetes and a variety of cancers. As such, it represents one of our most important targets for disease prevention. Indeed, obesity was recently named a National Health Priority at the Australian Health Ministers’ Conference.

Importantly, middle-aged Australians are most at risk of experiencing highly preventable CVD-related hospitalisations and fatal events relating to their excess weight over the next 20 years.