•     "Several studies indicate consumers have limited responsiveness to food taxes, which aim to raise the relative price of energy-dense nutrient-poor foods, although the effects of price instruments have been shown to be stronger for lower socioeconomic groups. Taxing particular foods can affect the consumption of other foods, and have unpredictable health effects. Some studies suggest some consumers are responsive to some degree, but the effects on Body Mass Index (BMI) were generally small.  The evidence suggests that the link between television viewing and childhood obesity is, at most, small in magnitude. Some countries have banned television advertising of energy-dense nutrient-poor foods aimed at children, but there appear to be no firm data to support the effectiveness of the bans.  For instance, targeting television advertising might be of limited effectiveness if it does not capture other forms of advertising."

(A)        asserted "...there is an urgent and immediate need to address the growing prevalence of obesity and overweight in Australia"; and

(B)        cited at Prevention – a great investment that a recent US study Prevention for a Healthier America estimated for every US$1 invested in "proven community-based disease prevention programs" (ie. increasing physical activity, maintaining a Healthy Diet and reducing smoking levels), the return on investment over and above the $1 per head cost of the program would be US$5.60 within five years.  Albeit voluminous, Prevention for a Healthier America is a flimsy, repetitious report which provides a ROI formula, but no mathematical calculations which arrived at US$5.60 savings per capita.  Section 3 titled "State-By-State ROI" is 26 pages of useless padding.

The Preventive Health Taskforce refers to "proven community-based disease prevention programs".  However, the vast majority of "strategic community-based disease prevention programs aimed at improving physical activity and nutrition and preventing smoking and other tobacco use" in the 51 states in the USA listed in Section 4 "Methodology" of Prevention for a Healthier America (that the Discussion Paper cited as precedent) are merely Mass Media Campaign which the National Partnership Agreement on Preventive Health will expend an additional $59m to extend the reach of the 'Measure Up' campaign.  The Taskforce places heavy reliance on precedent from the country with one of the poorest records in the world in curbing Obesity.  Why is the Taskforce relying so heavily on US preventive health policy when America has one of the highest levels of Obesity globally?  Why didn't the Taskforce analyse what countries such as The Netherlands have implemented to get Fit not Fat?

Mass Media Campaigns completely ignore the psychotherapy of the Five Basic ‘Stages of Change’ Model which is arguably the dominant model of individuals changing their own Lifestyle Behaviour.  The Five Basic ‘Stages of Change’ Model  was an integral treatment featured on Dept of H&A Lifescripts website for GPs to apply when assisting patients improve their Lifestyle Behaviour which mysteriously in Feb 2008 was deleted from Dept of H&A Lifescripts website.  Up until Feb 2008, Dept of H&A had been expending vast amounts of money training GPs in dedicated courses to learn Motivational Interviewing Techniques to successfully administer the Five Basic ‘Stages of Change’ Model.   Three months earlier on 12 November 2007 the Business Plan Developer had written to CEO of NHMRC of Australia and asserted that GPs were incapable of performing the Final Three Stages.  However, that lower cost RECs who possess Eleven Sports Administration Attributes could perform them with aplomb which would Reduce Supplementary Patient Guidance Role of GPs. 

Application of the Five Basic ‘Stages of Change’ has mysteriously reappeared in the “Measure Up” campaign.  This re-emergence is baffling  because this model contains the Ten Processes Of Change which, unless support is provided to GPs to follow thru these ten individual processes, application of the Five Basic ‘Stages of Change’ model is not viable, yet the Mass Media “Measure Up” campaign provides to GPs the Five Basic ‘Stages of Change' Model as a 'guide'.  But a 'guide' to do what?

The OECD's Sept '10 report "Obesity and the Economics of Prevention  -  Fit not Fat" -

a)        found obesity rates in Australia had been increasing faster than any other advanced nation for the past 20 years; and

b)        recommended motivating people to the higher QOL and DOL from the positive lifestyle benefits of getting fit is better than the negative message of focusing on not putting on weight.

The below extracts from the OECD Sept '10 report "Fit not Fat" specifically accord with YELP's strategy to make Recreational Exercise Activities that are Fun and Addictive available to all Interested Adults, and deploying Motivational Incentive of RTV Promotion to increase the number of Interested Adults:

1. "Research has shown that people who lead a physically active life, do not smoke, drink alcohol in moderate quantities, and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables have a risk of death that is less than one fourth of the risk of those who have invariably unhealthy habits."

2. "Governments can increase choice by making new healthy options available, or by making existing ones more accessible and affordable. Alternatively, they can use persuasion, education and information to make healthy options more attractive. These are often advocated as minimally intrusive interventions, but governments may not always deliver persuasion effectively and in the best interest of individuals, and it is difficult to monitor whether they do so." 
   Alas, Fed. Dept of H&A's focus has been restricted to the later strategy of "persuasion, education and information" and not "making new healthy options available, or by making existing ones more accessible and affordable."

3. "Evidence of the effectiveness of private sector interventions is still insufficient, but an active collaboration between the public and the private sector will enhance the impact of any prevention strategies and spread the costs involved more widely."
   YELP is 50% funded and resourced under PPPs by the 'Private Sector' for the Four Benefits To 12 Proposed Private Sector Equity Holders

4. "Individual interventions have a relatively limited impact; therefore, comprehensive strategies involving multiple interventions to address a range of determinants are required to reach a “critical mass” – one that can have a meaningful impact on the obesity epidemic by generating fundamental changes in social norms."
   YELP is a National Preventive Health Research Programme which will achieve a Critical Mass of at least 5,200 Interested Adults in the Pilot Sample, who commence one of 15 Recreational Exercise Activities by becoming Participants in a Local District Recreational Exercise Group during the 21½ Months Tenure Of Pilot to end-June 2013 of Participants

5. "The adoption of a “multi-stakeholder” approach is increasingly invoked as the most sensible way forward in the prevention of chronic diseases. But while few if any of those involved would argue with this in theory, the interests of different groups are sometimes in conflict with each other and it is not always possible to find a solution where nobody loses out. Yet at the same time, no party is in a position to meaningfully reduce the obesity problem and associated chronic diseases without full co-operation with other stakeholders."
   YELP has multiple stakeholders

Health &Ageing's current Swap It, Don't Stop It Campaign ignores the findings of The Lancet journal "Use of mass media campaigns to change health behaviour" Volume 376, Issue 9748,  7 Oct 2010 (explained in Mass Media Campaigns) that Mass Media Campaigns can produce positive changes, or prevent negative changes, in health-related behaviours across large populations, when delivered in concert with community-based programmes, access to key services and products to persuade motivated individuals to implement the campaign message.  The above-mentioned Lancet journal warns that campaigns might address Lifestyle Behaviours that audiences lack the resources or practical support to implement the change being sought.  Alas, Swap It, Don't Stop It does not alert viewers to any explicit community-based programme, nor access to a key service or 'hands-on' products to persuade and assist motivated individuals to implement the campaign message.  It seems to think a passive message, referred to as 'social marketing', to swap large servings for small will be effective in treating the 'Obesity Epidemic'.  It hasn't been successful anywhere in the world.  Why has the Chair of the Taskforce ignored YELP after he initially encouraged it, when YELP conforms with The Lancet journal's findings and the National Heart Foundation's findings?  Yet the Taskforce ignores these obvious findings!

In Oct 2008 the Taskforce released a Discussion Paper which -

II.          proposed adopting a 'learning by doing' approach.

The Minister for Health and Ageing's 'Forward' noted inter alia:

Section 7 "Towards a National Preventive Health Strategy – your views" of the Discussion Paper subtitled "The Preventive Health Taskforce invites your input to the next stage of development of a National Preventive Health Strategy" noted:

3.          Philip Johnston has written to all pertinent government agencies, as well as the Taskforce, seeking them to discuss with him the YELP  First Business Plan and his Other Seven Business Plans in his Two National Preventive Health Research Programmes:

The Writer, referred to as the Business Plan Developer throughout his Two National Preventive Health Research Programmes, initially wrote to Warwick Anderson, CEO, NHMRC, on 12 Nov 2007 contending that GPs could not perform the Final Three Stages of Dept of Health & Ageing Lifescripts  Five Basic Stages of Change, but under his Youthful Exuberance Lifestyle Programme  Recreational Exercise Consultants could Take Charge Of  Interested Adults (to perform the Final Three Stages) who would like to commence a REA in a Local District Recreational Exercise Group which incorporates a LCCBSG.

YELP -

(i)         Achieves All The Taskforce's "Terms of Reference";

(ii)        Accords With Taskforce's Discussion Paper;

(iii)       will Attract 50% Private Sector Funding under the  50/50 Funding Model which accords with "Future funding models for prevention in the Taskforce's Final Report;

(iv)       is a JV between Four Public Sector Equity Holders and 12 Private Sector Equity Holders to establish a YELP  SPV under a PPP;

(v)        is a robust scratch & feel  Community Driven Healthy Exercise Lifestyle Programme with a Forecast Return On YELP Capex for every dollar expended to be at least tenfold within 5 years due to Twelve Low Cost Propagation Initiatives which will reduce Adverse Costs of Fifteen Problems to be measured by Return On YELP Capex Software - the first Low Cost Propagation Initiative is "exploiting the Motivational Incentive of RTV" which draws upon the two successful precedents of -

•       PBS produced RTV Marathon Challenge; and

•       British produced Beyond Boundaries;

(vi)       has a Forecast Return On YELP Capex for 4.9 years to end June 2016 which will reduce Adverse Costs of Fifteen Problems, which cost the Australian economy >$155b annually (quantified at Negligent Lifestyle Annual Costs) by more than $212 million dollars;

(vii)      draws on the Gatekeeper attributes of 52 Golden Gurus:
*          32 Pioneer FOFs with Five Pioneer FOF Qualities; and
*          20 RECs who possess Eleven Sports Administration Attributes;

(viii)     is a "..... community-based disease prevention program" which Captures Complimentary Synergies of Four Public Sector Equity Holders and Harness Private Sector Infrastructure & PPP Skills of 12 Private Sector Equity Holders enabling Complimentary Employee Enthusiasm with a platform of Local Community Common Bond Support Groups;

(ix)       is a fully costed CDHELP which 'inter alia' will achieve by end-2016, 165,000 fitter, stronger Australian  Interested Adults better able to work (from 2023) to 67 pension age who leave a small Personal Carbon Footprint;

(x)        relies on the Dept of Health & Ageing's former Five Basic 'Stages of Change' treatment under Lifescripts which GPs were previously entrusted to administer (until early 2008) to some Overweight/Obese patients;

(xi)       utilising Existing Human Resources and Existing Recreational & Competitive Exercise Infrastructure;

(xii)       is ready to launch a 16 Months Tenure Of Preparatory Research Programme contemporaneously with 21½ Months Tenure Of Pilot on 13 Aug 2011, although the start date can be deferred in accordance with the timetable set out in 10 'Team YELP'  Annual Endurance State Triathlons;

(xiii)     incorporates robust "learning by doing", as evidenced by the plethora of definitions in Defined Terms - Budgets/Costs, Reports and Software to quantify Economic Return On YELP Capex; and

(xiv)     has a 21½ Months Tenure Of Pilot  Budget of a low $2,963,000 approx. due to Twelve Low Cost Propagation Initiatives.

Re (ii) above, as noted in Philanthropy and Existing Human Resources if Governments wish to encourage individual Philanthropy,  Corporate Philanthropy and utilise the Gatekeeper skills of Golden Gurus beyond say Rotary Australia and Lions Australia,  Governments need to create explicit structures which harness particular skills of successful business people, approaching retirement or having recently retired, to perform explicit roles which utilise those specific skills, where those successful business people know that some of them enjoy decision-making input.

A few months after the Business Plan Developer wrote to Warwick Anderson, CEO, NHMRC, on 12 Nov 2007 contending that GPs could not perform the Final Three Stages of Dept of Health & Ageing's  Lifescripts  Five Basic Stages of Change, Dept of Health & Ageing removed from its website (in early 2008) reference to GPs administering the Five Basic Stages of Change to treat patients suffering Lifestyle Related Chronic Diseases. 

Utilising the skills he had acquired over a 37 career in banking, with the final 18 years involved in syndicates of banks financing Greenfield and Brownfield infrastructure projects, the Writer, R&D'd voluntarily for over three years to prepare Two National Preventive Health Research Programmes where 60 Private Sector Equity Holders would -

(a)        contribute 50% of TNPHP Four Year Budget Cost being $31.275m of a $62.550m, for the reasons set out in Four Benefits To 12 Proposed Private Sector Equity Holders;

(b)        assist refine the Two National Preventive Health Research Programmes for approval by NPA's  Board of Governance;

(c)        enhance their Brand Names cost-effectively;

(d)        provide two Golden Gurus each, who will bring high-level 'hands-on' creative and innovative leadership in the Five SPVs, and be invited to be 160 Pioneer Members Of The Prime Minister’s Council for Active Living;

(e)        establish a platform for on-going Corporate Philanthropy; and

(f)         share risk and return under Five Public Private Partnership SPVs.

One of the members of the Taskforce, Shaun Larkin, e-mailed Philip Johnston on 31 July 2008, "Input and content such as you have provided is very much appreciated by me in my role as a member of the National Preventive Health Taskforce.   I suggest you forward a copy of the information provided to Peter Morris at the Department of Health and Ageing."

The Writer posted updates on CDs to Peter Morris, Assistant Secretary Population Health, Strategy Unit Population Health Division at the Depart of Health and Ageing, as well as to the Taskforce, as chronicled in Schedule of Correspondence.

APPENDIX 4: Submissions to the Preventive Health Taskforce of the Taskforce's Final Report dated 30 June 2009 to the Minister for Health & Ageing lists:

367	YELP Program Concept

Immediately under the above listing appeared in the Taskforce's Final Report:

Philip Johnston did not request anyone not to publish a link to Youthful Exuberance Lifestyle Programme on the Preventive Health Taskforce - Submissions webpage or not to publish a file(s) that explains YELP such as the definition of Youthful Exuberance Lifestyle Programme, First Business Plan or the Executive Summary.  

His submissions provide for him to be paid a $1 Peppercorn Fee for his R&D to produce his Two National Preventive Health Research Programmes.  Hence, he has no interest in the associated  I.P. to cost effectively reduce the >$155 billion Negligent Lifestyle Annual Costs of Fifteen Problems which bring on Lifestyle Related Chronic Diseases.

Recapping, highlighted in Yellow above in this Section 3, -

i)          Section 7 of the Taskforce's Interim Report included separate overt invitations from Ms Roxon and Dr Moodie for members of the public to contribute their thoughts;

ii)         the Chairperson, Dr Rob Moodie, and another member, Shaun Larkin of HCF, wrote to Mr. Johnston encouraging him to continue his R&D; and

iii)        Peter Morris, Dept of Health & Ageing, letter to Phil Johnston dated 2 July 2009 included "the Government will consider on merit any recommendations the Taskforce may make concerning support for community programs in physical activity."

Lifestyle Related Chronic Diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes, throat, lung and liver cancers, caused by the Three Public Health Risks are medical conditions.  However, prima facie lack of regular exercise, Obesity, smoking and excessive consumption of alcohol are a negative result of Lifestyle Behaviour?  Has the Australian Government picked experts with too narrow a skillset to -

A)        deliver practically assistance for Interested Adults to Materially Alter Lifestyle Behaviour; and

B)        deploy Motivational Incentive of RTV Promotion to increase the number of Interested Adults?

On occasions relationships between some 'health experts', some drug companies and some advertising companies are not "at arms length".  A correlation exists between unhealthy 'conflicts of interest' amongst some within these three different cohorts, and the above OECD's Sept '10 report "Obesity and the Economics of Prevention  -  Fit not Fat" which found that -

*          Obesity rates in Australia have increased faster than any other advanced nation over the last 20 years, and

*          "the interests of different groups are sometimes in conflict with each other and it is not always possible to find a solution where nobody loses out."

Should the Taskforce have also included Senior Business Executives with Project Development Expertise (ie. a track-record of completing major infrastructure projects), whose Lifestyle Behaviour includes Rigorous Recreational Exercise Activities?  That is, successfully business people who actually prioritise in their Lifestyle Behaviours the Australian National Physical Activity Exercise Guidelines.  These are Senior Business Executives whose lifestyle includes one or more of Hiking, Cycling, Kayaking, Ocean Swimming, Jogging and thrive on the Challenges available from Rigorous Recreational Exercise Activities, not because some Federal Health funded advertising campaign warns of the perils of getting fat such as the four year old Measure Up "Mass Media" encouragement campaign, but because they -

*          regard Challenging  Recreational Exercise Activities as Fun and Addictive; and

*          prioritise regular Challenging Rigorous Recreational Exercise in their Lifestyle Behaviour.  

If we do not want Overweight/Obese Australians, should we be drawing on the Gatekeeper skills, experience and energy of some of the 'one in 500 Australians', aged between 50 and 60 - 5,100 approx - who over many years have successfully influenced lots of other Australians to the merits of their particular rigorous outdoor exercise activity within a Local Community Common Bond Support Group.  These are Australians who for many years have acted in voluntary sports administration roles for their chosen sport and possess Eleven Sports Administration Attributes which include Walk The Talk Motivational Skills, Liability Risk Management Acumen and display a manifest Sense Of Community.  Drawing on a small number of these 5,100 or so healthy, fit Australians with 'health runs on the board', who are approaching retirement, if not recently retired, would seem a fillip for the Australian governments Australia 2020 Summit selection of utilising Golden Gurus in mentoring roles which, to date, hasn't had much impact.

6.         Key Points:

(a)        In Oct 2008 the Taskforce released a Discussion Paper which -

             II.          proposed adopting a 'learning by doing' approach. Where is the evidence of learning by doing to address the Obesity Epidemic?

(c)        The Taskforce's Final Report and the Australian Government's response document "TAKING PREVENTATIVE ACTION" to the Taskforce's Final Report are bereft of any new, scratch 'n feel ".......community-based disease prevention programs tailored to Supervise Australian adults who are attracted to try out a REA in a Local District Recreational Exercise Group which incorporates a LCCBSG.

                          a)        found Obesity rates in Australia had been increasing faster than any other advanced nation for the past 20 years; and

                          b)        recommends a -

                                      *   positive message to motivating people to the higher QOL and DOL from 'getting fit' and the availability of skilled assistance to improve Lifestyle Behaviour,

                                      *   is better than the negative message via Mass Media Campaigns to 'not put on weight' because you will develop a Chronic Disease.

(e)        The Lancet journal "Use of mass media campaigns to change health behaviour" dated 7 Oct 2010 asserts that Mass Media Campaigns can produce positive changes, or prevent negative changes, in health-related behaviours across large populations, when delivered in concert with complimentary community-based programmes, access to key services and products to persuade motivated individuals to implement the campaign message. 

(f)         Swap It, Don't Stop It -

             *        does not alert viewers to any explicit community-based programme, nor access to key services or products to persuade and assist motivated individuals to implement the campaign message;