Let’s Shape Up! Inspire Your Tribe

Overview

Initiative type

Education and Training

Status

Deliver

Published

23 August 2018

Summary

The Let's Shape Up! project uses a tribal interventions approach to reduce progression of Type 2 diabetes and obesity, recognising that leaders in families, the workplace and communities have the power to influence those around them. The initiative brings together three levels of government to co-invest and co-design an evidence-based population solution to obesity. It is a medium term initiative (approximately 3 years) incorporating an all-of-community approach, multiple interventions and resources from a cadre of partners and stakeholders with an interest in creating healthier lifestyle choices for the community.

The project is a finalist in the Rural and Remote and Indigenous leadership Categories at the 2018 Queensland Health Awards for Excellence.

Key dates

Jul 2016 - Mar 2019

Implementation sites

Mackay Hospital and Health Service

Partnerships

Healthcare Improvement Unit, Preventive Health Branch, Mackay Institute of Research and Innovation, North Queensland PHN, Mackay Regional Council, Central Qld University

Aim

To reduce progression of Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity by changing behaviours through “tribal interventions” and incorporating an all of community approach.

Benefits

  • The tribal approach recognises that leaders in families, workplace and community have the power to influence those around them.
  • Reducing Type 2 Diabetes risk factors resulting in better quality of life and increased wellbeing.

Background

Obesity is a significant health issue in Mackay with the obesity rate being 28 per cent, which is 16 per cent higher than the state average. In addition, in 2015 the Mackay region ranked 5th in all of Australia under the Heart Foundation’s Couch Potato Index, an indicator used to portray prevalence of obesity and lack of physical activity. With families facing complex lifestyle choices associated with a transient workforce, tourism and business mix, the Mackay-Isaac-Whitsunday communities are representative of life in the fast-lane.

The Integrated Care and Innovation Fund provides financial support to innovative projects that deliver better integration of care, address fragmentation in services and provide high-value healthcare. Funded projects also demonstrate a willingness to embrace and encourage the uptake of new technology alongside the benefits of integrating care and improving communication between health care sectors.

Solutions implemented

Multiple interventions using resources from partners and stakeholders are driving community outcomes in reducing Type 2 Diabetes and creating healthier lifestyle choices for the community. Our focus in the first year of the project has been to build our HealthFull Alliance and what we have noticed is there is a real taste in our community to make positive, healthy changes. We are well on the way to successfully achieving project targets for seed funding and implementing a long term sustainable community based strategy.

Key contact

Robert Simpson

Project Manager (Obesity and Diabetes Project)

Mackay Hospital and Health Service

Email:  Robert.Simpson@health.qld.gov.au

Last updated: April 2025

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