Australian revelers warned against wasting food, weight gain in coming holidays

SYDNEY, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Many Australians will eat three times what they need during Christmas but they should avoid wasting food and gaining weight in the festive season, a major healthcare group warned on Thursday.

"Christmas Day is often accepted as a day for over-indulgence in food, alcohol, and confectionery," the Australian Medical Association quoted its vice-president Tony Bartone as saying in a media release.

"Some Australians will consume more than 25,000 kilojoules -- or 6,000 calories -- on the day, which is three times the amount of energy needed by a moderately active adult."

Many Australian revelers will gain a few kilograms during the festivities but there are ways to keep that in check, such as eating in moderation, sticking to more healthy food choices and maintaining some form of exercise, he said.

Hosts should also avoid the tendency to "over-cater" and waste food -- Australians waste nearly 10 billion Australian dollars food annually, with the average household throwing away 14 percent of food, or about 1,050 Australian dollars each, said Bartone, citing the 2017 RaboDirect Financial Health Barometer industry report.

More than 60 percent of Australians were overweight or obese in 2014-2015, up from 57 percent in 1995, according to the association. Obesity is expected to cost the Australian economy 12 billion Australian dollars this year, said the association, citing figures from the World Obesity Federation healthcare and medical group. Enditem