THE town of Ararat is fighting to lose its title as one of the most overweight towns in Australia.
About 500 members of the southwest Victorian town make up the contestants in the ninth series of weight-loss reality show, The Biggest Loser.
Former Ararat mayor Ian Wilson, 55, said many townsfolk were resistant when first approached by the show's producers but soon embraced the chance to change their lives.
"Initially, people had some scepticism, thinking it wasn't fair but once we got people to recognise that we should look at the show as an opportunity, we had an outstanding response," Mr Wilson said.
"The residents took on the challenge and the one thing I've noticed is the significant number of people out walking around town now. So many people embraced it."
A year earlier, Ararat was identified as one of the most overweight towns in Australia with state Health Department figures showing more people living in rural areas were overweight (34.4 per cent) and obese (19.8 per cent) compared with people living in the city.
Mr Wilson, who has since resigned from the council and owns a local motel, said the isolation of country life was not conducive to formal exercise, explaining why council had built a range of walking paths in and around the town.
"It's nothing for us to travel two hours to go to a game of football but if you're not actually playing sport, there's a disincentive to be involved in exercise," he said.
"But since the show, the YMCA has reported significantly higher membership."
Also, some of the town's food outlets have identified ways to provide healthier options and two of the largest businesses have introduced free health checks and healthier food alternatives in the canteens.
Schools in the area are looking at revising menus.
"The challenge is to get people to accept they need help but when you have taken on something like this in the public sense, it's shared and everyone supports each other because it's about mutual respect," he said.
"There is even renewed enthusiasm among our healthcare professionals who have seen this as a large social experiment in engaging the community and the community has risen to the challenge. I wanted to have a lasting legacy that we have taken this health problem on board and that we could do something about it."
The Biggest Loser goes to air on January 19, Channel 10.
