Weight Watchers Australia & Access

<span style="font-size: large;">W<span style="font-size: large;">eight Watchers I<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">nternational</span> has asked the Australian g<span style="font-size: large;">overn<span style="font-size: large;">ment to subsidi<span style="font-size: large;">z<span style="font-size: large;">e its program so that m<span style="font-size: large;">ore overweight and obese perso<span style="font-size: large;">ns can benefit from i<span style="font-size: large;">ts</span> evidence based community weight loss prog<span style="font-size: large;">ram.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">They are asking for tax dollars to cover most of the <u>12 week </u>cost</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">($202) - the attendee would pay 30 dollars out of pocket.<span style="font-size: large;">  I certainly support efforts to make this<span style="font-size: large;"> prog<span style="font-size: large;">ram accessible to more people, but I have a<span style="font-size: large;">n issue<span style="font-size: large;">.  As<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>is often the case, after we find evidence of an effect <span style="font-size: large;">(</span>efficacy), an intervention is <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">given to the public<span style="font-size: large;"> under a<span style="font-size: large;">nother condition or in a different dose.</span></span></span> The real intervention is not replicated<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">,</span> the results are not replicated<span style="font-size: large;">, an<span style="font-size: large;">d the prog<span style="font-size: large;">ram itself is<span style="font-size: large;"> found to be ineffective.  </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">That cou<span style="font-size: large;">ld happen here bec<span style="font-size: large;">ause the research study which found that <span style="font-size: large;">Weight Watchers participants lost twi<span style="font-size: large;">ce as much weight as si<span style="font-size: large;">milar persons who <span style="font-size: large;">rec<span style="font-size: large;">eived assistance from their physic<span style="font-size: large;">i<span style="font-size: large;">an last<span style="font-size: large;">ed 12 MONTHS not 12 <span style="font-size: large;">weeks.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">In addition, I agree with the Obe<span style="font-size: large;">s<span style="font-size: large;">ity Polic<span style="font-size: large;">y Coalition spokesperso<span style="font-size: large;">n<span style="font-size: large;">, <span style="font-size: large;">Craig Sinclair, who said that a<span style="font-size: large;">n environmental approach was needed.  The govern<span style="font-size: large;">ment sho<span style="font-size: large;">uld consider</span> <span style="font-size: large;">nutrition<span style="font-size: large;"> lab<span style="font-size: large;">elin<span style="font-size: large;">g laws, <span style="font-size: large;">limits on junk food advertising and cost supports for healthy foods or<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: large;">incr<span style="font-size: large;">eased taxes on junk foods.  YES!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>

Weight Watchers Australia & Access

W eight Watchers I nternational has asked the Australian g overn ment to subsidi z e its program so that m ore overweight and obese perso n...

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