Australia's obesity crisis to be examined

Australia's bulging waistlines will come under the microscope when a parliamentary inquiry looks at the obesity crisis.

Weighing scales. Source: AAP

A new parliamentary inquiry will examine the impacts of Australians' bulging waistlines.

The Senate on Thursday voted to establish the select committee, with the idea put forward by Greens leader and medical doctor Richard Di Natale.

The inquiry will look at the causes of rising levels of obese and overweight people in Australia and how the issue affects children.

The economic burden of the health concern and the effectiveness of existing programs to improve diets and tackle childhood obesity will also come under the microscope.

The committee will scrutinise the role of the food industry in contributing to poor diets, with its report due in August.