Intergenerational policy and workforce participation in Australia: using health as a metric.

Like many nations, population ageing is challenging Australia's economic future; increasing the workforce participation of mothers and mature-aged adults are two policy strategies to address it. Drawing on a Health in All Policies (HiAPs) framework, our study aims to supply longitudinal evidence on connections between this policy strategy and health. Considering physical inactivity, poor mental health, overweight and obesity we estimate associations with the level of participation (not employed compared with part- or full-time employed). Using eight waves of data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey, a series of random intercept logistic models estimate the odds for mothers (n = 2105) and Australians aged 55-64 years (n = 3201) on each health outcome. We find that there are health benefits as well as risks linked to level of participation. Mothers who worked >20 h/wk had higher odds of physical inactivity, as did mature-aged Australians working either part - or full-time. Working part- or full-time was unrelated to overweight or obesity over the span of our study. Level of participation was unrelated to mental health among mature-age Australians, although part-time (but not full-time) work benefited mothers'. In terms of health, working more may offer mixed blessings to these two target populations; part-time work appears to be optimal. By using health as a metric, our study adds to the case for a HiAPs approach.

Reflections on expert consensus: a case study of the social trends contributing to obesity.

BACKGROUND: In Australia, as elsewhere in the developed world, researchers and policy makers have expressed concern about rising rates of obesity. Explanations for the increasing weight of the Australian population have focused on both declining levels of physical activity and changes in food consumption patterns. METHODS: The primary aim of our study was to determine the views of obesity, dietary and physical activity experts, about the most important social trends that have contributed to Australia's obesogenic environment over the last 50 years. We used a modified Delphi technique to successfully contact 50 such experts to obtain their views on this topic. The process involved a semi-structured interview with each expert to identify the trends and then a round of ranking of the trends by these experts. A second aim was to comment on the utility of expert opinion in public policy. RESULTS: The experts identified the most important social trends as 'escalating car reliance', 'increasing "busy-ness" and lack of time' and 'rising use of convenience and pre-prepared food'. Because we asked experts to explain their responses, a diversity of opinion emerged on both the aetiology of these trends and how the environment is embodied to produce rising levels of obesity. CONCLUSION: We reflect on the implications of this dissensus for the utility of expert opinion in public policy and argue that one way through the smorgasboard of competing expert explanations for health differentials, including obesity levels, is practice-based evidence gathered through community level action research.