A novel, culturally appropriate approach to weight management in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

In 2017, the Australian Bureau of Statistics1 reported that 69% of Indigenous adults are overweight or obese compared with 63% of the broader community. Of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, 29% are overweight and 40% are obese. This compares with 36% overweight and 28% obese in the broader Australian community. Obesity is the second highest contributor to disease burden after tobacco use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Being overweight or obese, being physically inactive and consuming a diet low in fruit and vegetables has been shown to contribute 16%, 12% and 5%, respectively, to the overall health gap observed between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the broader Australian community.