Victorian MPs in
All Party Healthy BBQ Cook
Off
Victorian MPs, in an all Party
Cook Off in the Parliamentary Gardens, today helped
Kidney Health Australia tackle obesity at the
traditional Australian barbeque as part of the battle
against kidney disease, which is present in one in seven
Australians.
Left:
MPs Colleen Hartland the Greens, Jude Perera ALP, Billy
Kidney and Lindi Jane,
and Craig Ingram the
Independent Chef displaying their BBQ skills
today.
David Davis,
Shadow Health Minister lined up with Jude Perera
ALP, a recent kidney transplantee, Paul Weller National
Party, Colleen Hartland the Greens, and Craig Ingram an
Independent Chef to launch the healthy BBQ message in
the Parliamentary Gardens at
lunchtime.
Kidney Health
Australia Managing Director & Chief Executive
Officer Anne Wilson said 
Kidney Health Australia is
encouraging people to introduce healthy barbeque menus
and food choices to cut the fat content of traditional
barbeques. Obesity increases the risk of kidney
disease and our message to the community is to undertake
a healthy lifestyle and maintain a healthy weight.
After being
presented with special BIG RED BBQ aprons and tongs
Members displayed their cooking skills on a new
environmental and fire safe Lokkii BIG RED Bucket BBQ
while receiving plenty of advice from Kidney Health
Australia's children's Ambassadors Billy Kidney and his
companion ventriloquist Lindi
Jane.
The BIG RED BBQ - the Healthy Choice
initiative focuses on recipes including fruit, vegetables, fish, chicken
and smaller portions of traditional meat.
Left:
MPs Craig Ingram Independent, Colleen Hartland The
Greens, David Davis Shadow Health Minister, Billy Kidney
and Lindi Jane, Paul Weller National Party and Jude
Perera ALP at the launch of the Healthy BIG RED BBQ in
the Victorian Parliamentary Gardens.
Ms Wilson said the
campaign is also aimed at Making a Noise About
The Silent Killer - Chronic Kidney Disease by
making it a topic of discussion at every barbeque
through the link to healthy eating and lifestyle.
Diet is a vital part of managing Kidney Disease
and we have chosen to highlight the Aussie barbeque, a
traditional family, sporting and community social
activity as a focus point to promote healthy eating and
encourage a greater use of fresh vegetables, fruit,
fish, chicken, lean meats and salads as a preventative
measure, Ms Wilson
said. Healthy Choice BBQ Recipes Online
Fast Facts on CKD in
Australia
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a
significant and growing public health problem,
responsible for substantial burden of illness and
premature mortality.
In Australia, it is a fact
that:
* 1 in 3 adults are at increased risk
of developing CKD
* A person can
lose up to 90% of their kidney function before
experiencing any symptoms
* Over
40 Australians die of kidney failure each day
* 11.3% of all
deaths in Australia are due
to, or associated with, kidney failure
*
Every day, 6 Australians commence expensive
dialysis or transplantation to stay alive.
*
Most people with CKD will die from cardiovascular causes
before requiring dialysis or transplantation
*
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders experience
excessive death and disability due to CKD
*
The dialysis-dependent population has risen by an
average of 8% per year over the past decade, and is
being fuelled by the ageing population, and Type 2
diabetes epidemic
*
It costs approximately $83,000 per annum to keep a
person alive on dialysis
There
is consistent evidence that with proper medications and
management, the number of people with kidney failure can
be significantly reduced. However, early stages of
kidney disease often go unrecognised, and the knowledge
of what can be done to help patients is often not
applied.
Media
Enquiries:
Ron Smith National Media
Communications Kidney Health Australia Mobile: 0417 329
201
