A special body will be established to tackle obesity in Queensland, with a particular focus on reducing the rate of diabetes.
Health Minister Cameron Dick said he would introduce legislation to parliament this week to set up the Healthy Futures Commission, which would be funded with $20 million over three years.
"At least 55 per cent of that funding will be provided in grants to enable the Commission to focus on targeted interventions and projects to enable children and families to make healthy choices," Mr Dick told reporters in Brisbane on Sunday.
"We want to stop the next generation of Queenslanders developing chronic illness or becoming overweight or obese."
Mr Dick said they would also be targeting groups which were at higher risk of obesity and related conditions, such as indigenous communities and lower soci-economic areas.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
The minister said he didn't want the body to become just another piece of bureaucracy, but opposition frontbencher Scott Emerson accused Mr Dick of exactly that.
"Surely this is an issue the health department can deal with, rather than setting up another layer of red tape?" Mr Emerson asked.
Diabetes sufferer Tai Bui said he understands the government's drive to protect the next generation from obesity, after being diagnosed four years ago and completely overhauling his diet and lifestyle.
"Since then we've had to make a lot of changes within our family, to ensure our kids have a healthier life and don't have to go through what I'm going through," Mr Bui said.
He said it had been hard at first for his wife Alicia and two daughters Kaleigh and Jessica to adjust, but now the whole family enjoyed living more healthily.
"My wife and I are constantly making good changes to make sure this doesn't happen to our kids."
