New funding to help Aussies make smarter health choices

nib foundation today announced six Australian charities will share in a new $240,000 investment in health prevention and promotion programs to help reduce the burden of chronic disease across the country.

nib foundation Executive Officer, Amy Tribe, said that with half of all Australian adults now living with chronic disease there was a real need to educate young Aussies about the importance of adopting healthy lifestyle habits.

“While genetic and environmental factors can contribute to chronic illness, one third of the total burden of disease is estimated to come from preventable risk factors,” Mrs Tribe said.

“Our Health Smart grants will support these charities who are experts in their various fields of health promotion to engage and empower young Aussies to reduce risks such as poor diet and increase protective factors such as looking after our mental health,” she said.

Lung Foundation Australia will use their $40,000 share in funding to hold a national roundtable event to discuss the emerging public health concern of the harmful effects of vaping, and develop a well-researched Consensus Statement on the risks of vaping, particularly amongst young people.

Meanwhile, the Black Dog Institute will deliver their free suicide prevention app, iBobbly, to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples providing tools and skills to encourage help-seeking behaviours and manage psychological distress.

Cancer Council Victoria’s Rethink Sugary Drink: Thirsty Campaign will help to raise awareness of the health risks associated with consuming sugary drinks, encouraging Australians to rethink their choice of drink to prevent overweight and obesity problems.

“I’m always buoyed by the evidence that small improvements to health behaviours at an individual level, such as losing a few kilograms, or doing a few more minutes of daily moderate exercise, can have a significant impact at a population level in reducing this chronic disease burden,” Mrs Tribe said.

“We see a real opportunity through these programs to lift Australia’s health literacy rates and in turn support more positive and informed health choices,” she added.

nib foundation will also give two of the charities a chance to have their funding doubled through our People’s Vote which will be carried out this year via social media and nib’s The Check Up.

The 2019 Health Smart grant recipients are:

• Black Dog Institute - iBobbly (National)

• Cancer Council Queensland - Cancer Risk Calculator Youth Co-design Prevention Project (QLD)

• Cancer Council Victoria - Rethink Sugary Drink: ‘Thirsty Campaign’ (VIC)

• Life Education NSW - Reality Now: A real time survey busting myths about social norms in high school (NSW)

• Lung Foundation Australia - National Roundtable: vaping and young people (National)

• Waves of Wellness Foundation: Innovation through digitisation (VIC, NSW, QLD)

Expressions of Interest for nib foundation’s 2020 Health Smart Grants open in June. For more information on the 2020 Health Smart Grant recipients and their programs visit nibfoundation.com.au.