One in four Hume residents is obese.
A new health snapshot for the north-western Melbourne region reveal the grim statistic among a host of other health indicators that have Hume medical practitioners worried.
Neil Cowen, chief executive of Broadmeadows-based not-for-profit health provider Dianella, said the figures did not come as a surprise but reinforced the magnitude of the health provider’s workload.
“There are no surprises because Dianella knows that people living in Hume have very poor health outcomes compared to the Melbourne average,” he said.
“Obesity rates correlate to the social determinates of health, such as a person’s income or level of education.”
The health snapshot was the first report released by the federal government’s new North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network, one of 31 networks set up to replace the now defunct Medicare Locals.
The networks are designed to work with doctors and other health providers, such as hospitals, to ensure better outcomes for patients.
Hume’s snapshot reveals that 26.1 per cent of women and 26.9 per cent of men are obese, compared to the state average of 17.2 and 17.4 per cent respectively.
More than 19 per cent of residents smoke, and 21.8 per cent reported their health status as ‘fair’ or ‘poor’.
The fact sheet gave Hume’s rating for chronic disease prevalence, disability, lifestyle risk factors, reported dental health, reported health status, premature mortality and child and mental health as “negative”.
High diabetes rate
In Hume, there are 7.3 diabetics per 100,000 people, compared to the Victorian average of 4.7 people per 100,000.
Dr Cowen described diabetes as an epidemic in Hume.
“We’ve got a diabetes crisis and it leads to a whole range of other complications like blindness and amputations.”
Figures for the Macedon Ranges reveal 28.7 per cent of women are overweight, higher than the state average of 24.6.
Fifty-four per cent of residents are at risk of short-term harm from alcohol, compared to the national average of 45.3.
