A one-stop source of information to promote physical activity, good nutrition and healthy weight will be officially launched today by Health Minister John Hill.

PANORAMA, the Physical Activity and Nutrition Observatory: Research and Monitoring Alliance, is a collaboration between Flinders University and the University of South Australia.

The State Government is funding PANORAMA with $1 million over three years.

Professor Lynne Cobiac – who will co-direct and co-manage PANORAMA with Flinders Professor John Coveney – said the aim of PANORAMA was to support State Government initiatives to increase the proportion of South Australians with a healthy weight by 10 percentage points by 2014.

“PANORAMA will improve access for decision-makers and practitioners to the best quality information about physical activity, healthy eating and weight status in South Australia that is relevant to state-wide and regional priorities,” Professor Cobiac said.

“That advice and information – developed by closely monitoring the very latest research and data in the field from SA, interstate and overseas – will be provided to SA Health and other government agencies,” she said. This will assist the government in formulating health policies from evidence-based research.

“But members of the public will also have ready access to a great deal of information, as part of the State Government’s Eat Well Be Active program.”