Figures showing that 69 per cent of primary school aged children in Canberra have a low general fitness level and one in four are overweight is a huge concern.
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This follows research findings published by the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health that one in five Australian children is overweight or obese before starting school.
The ACT government has labelled obesity as the biggest preventable health challenge in the capital and has implemented schemes in the past few years to tackle it.
But little seems to be changing when it comes to waistlines despite all of the work being put in to reverse the gains.
While the government has seen some improvement in its zero growth target there are still worrying signs of an impending health crisis in the territory's future.
Data released at the end of 2016 by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare showed that as many as six in 10 Canberrans were overweight or obese.
According to the report the ACT was the fourth-most overweight "primary health network" area in the country.
At the time ACT chief health officer Paul Kelly described the situation as the "ACT's paradox" of health - in that Canberrans should be healthier given the general level of wealth, higher education and clean environment.
This is an uncomfortable fact because it indicates that those in the capital really don't have an excuse when it comes to living healthily.
Of course there are other factors at play including the availability of junk foods and the intense advertising on TV that the ACT government has no control over. Obesity is by no means a simple issue.
The forum to address childhood obesity next month at the University of Canberra is another important step in the fight for better health.
It is set to focus on recognition that this is an issue that needs collective responsibility to face - that it's not up to governments, schools or parents individually.
The ACT government said upcoming initiatives include the development of another strategy to combat obesity and a preventative health co-ordinator is set to be appointed.
This is commendable but Canberrans also need to make their own initiatives when it comes to improving health.
