A bold new idea to make healthy happen.
Our story
Health and Wellbeing Queensland was established in July 2019 to improve the health and wellbeing of all Queenslanders and reduce health inequities.
Our priority is to work with the Queensland health system to reduce the impacts of chronic disease.
We know that as well as optimising healthcare, it is critical to shift the balance towards improving health and wellbeing to create a healthier Queensland and more sustainable health system.
We are committed to working in partnership across government, communities and other sectors to address the underlying factors that drive chronic ill-health through collaborative, evidence-based and community-focused action.
Together, we can create a future where all Queenslanders have the best chance to lead a healthier life, no matter who they are or where they live.
Our why
Obesity is an epidemic impacting people of all ages and backgrounds.
Since the 1970s, obesity rates have increased in every region in the world and no country has successfully reversed this trend. In Queensland, 2 in 3 adults and almost 1 in 3 children live with an unhealthy weight.
Obesity increases the risk of developing chronic disease such as type 2 diabetes, osteo-arthritis, heart disease and stroke, kidney disease, dementia and some cancers. Chronic disease accounts for half of all hospitalisations in Australia, contributes to 90 per cent of preventable deaths and is the largest contributor to disability.
Most causes of obesity are beyond an individual’s control. It is driven by complex commercial, economic, political, social and cultural factors, which is why we need to work together to create meaningful change.
By shifting the systems that are not supportive of a healthy weight, we can start to turn the tide on generational obesity and make healthy happen for every Queenslander.
Last updated 8 May 2025
