Environments, products and services can contribute to people's choices and behaviours. It is important to ensure that people living in rural and remote areas are supported in terms of access to services, programs and opportunities to make healthy choices.
The outcomes and actions for the whole population are relevant and applicable to people living in rural and remote areas. The actions in this section are in addition to those in the ‘whole population’ section.
Behavioural and environmental changes across rural and remote communities that facilitate prevention of weight gain, including improved community infrastructure and improved food supply systems.
Increased capacity of the primary health care system to manage and prevent weight gain and promote physical activity for people in rural and remote areas.
- Provide guidance and information for rural and remote communities to implement whole-of-community projects, based on previous successful models.
- Encourage whole-of-community demonstration projects in rural and remote communities.
- Facilitate access to nutrition and lifestyle support services for the management and prevention of weight gain.
- Include individual and group interventions for preventing weight gain in telehealth professional education and training.
- Work with the food industry to improve both the affordability and range of healthy food choices, including fruit and vegetables, for remote communities.
- Consider a feasibility study on the options for subsidies for remote locations for health-related infrastructure including food supply, freight for fresh food, and physical activity facilities such as swimming pools.
- Work in collaboration with local government and other agencies, to improve access to physical activity facilities and programs.