Obesity in Australia
Strand 3: Individual and Community Health
- Outcome 5.6 A student analyses attitudes, behaviours and consequences related to health issues affecting young people
SLA
- Healthy food habits
- Disorder eating and body image
SLT
- Investigate factors that influence food choices, eg culture and customs, gender and media

KLA Integration
- Creative arts (designing a poster)
- Music (listening to a song)
- English ( gathering information from magazines/newspapers and presentation of poster)

Skill Outcomes
- Interacting
- Problem solving
- Planning
- Communication


Rationale
The media plays an important role in the development of an adolescent body image. It is important for students to adapt healthy food habits and understand the effects the media plays on society. Magazines are a major media resource which manipulates how people see themselves. Many people develop eating disorders though the pressures in society.

Scope of task
1. Firstly, write the heading ‘Obesity in Australia’ on the whiteboard.
2. Students are to participate in an activity called ‘think/pair/share’. Ask students to stand and find a partner. Ask students the following questions on obesity. When the music starts students are to find a new partner and discuss the next question.
3. Divide the class into groups of four. Each group will be given scissors, glue, cardboard, newspapers and magazines.
4. Students are to gather newspapers and magazines and find images and issues relating to obese people.
3. Each group will present their creative posters to the class which will be read, viewed and marked.

Newspapers, magazines

Music
My Music\Theme_Music_-_Pirates_of_the_Caribbean.mp3

Questions
1. What are the qualities of the perfect body image?
2. Why do young people get eating disorders, such as obesity?
3. What are some ways in which Australia can reduce obesity?
4. Do you think the ‘The biggest loser’ TV series was a good indicator and eye opener for obese people? Why?
5. If the Australia people are still obese, do you think it may reduce our life expectancy?
6. Do you think that Australia will still be one of the largest obese populations in 5 years? Why?


Reason for inclusion
The aim of this task is to provide students with knowledge and understanding of obesity in Australia. The activity ‘think/pair/share’ will engage students to communicate their opinions and ideas on what they know on obesity in Australia with peers. Students use resources such as newspapers and magazines to further increase their knowledge and learn to gather relevant information on obesity in Australia. Students learn to interact, plan and problem solve whilst creating their poster. Students will present their posters to a specific audience.