AMA (NSW) President: student-led program to combat obesity showcases its effectiveness

AMA (NSW) President, Dr Kean-Seng Lim, says the Students as Lifestyle Activists Program (SALSA) is a fantastic way to prevent childhood obesity.

“The SALSA program has been running for several years in a growing number of schools in western Sydney.

“It provides students with the means to educate their peers on healthy eating and exercise habits and research has shown it is a very effective way to reach young people.

“Events like the SALSA Youth Voices Pitch Day, give students whose schools have been involved in the program a great chance to have their voices heard.

“The students are very switched on and we’ve seen everything from surveys on personal safety and how that affects exercise habits to videos documenting the disrepair of shops that sell healthy food and how that affects consumer behaviour.

“We are giving these school groups the floor so they can present their ideas to community leaders and it can be surprising just how quickly action can result from these SALSA events.

“So, SALSA doesn’t just enable students to reach out to their peers with effective obesity prevention education, it helps them make their neighbourhoods healthier,” Dr Lim said.

Media contact: Andrea Cornish or Lachlan Jones - 0419 402 955