The 2017-21 draft health and well-being plan outlined council’s strategies to improve health outcomes for residents.

Ballarat Community Health prevention and system development director Katherine Cape said there was a rising rate of obesity and diabetes in the city.

“While we are doing better in areas such as reducing smoking, we are still not achieving the same gains in terms of getting people to eat the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables,” she said.

“We work a lot with schools, with workplaces to make it easier for people to make choices to eat well and exercise.”

The organisation has supported breakfast clubs at schools and the second bite program, which takes surplus food from supermarkets, and redistributes it to healthy eating programs for disadvantaged people in Ballarat.

Council’s draft plan targeted residents of all ages in order to address the health issues of different demographics.

Young children and families were serviced through the maternal and child health, and vaccination programs, while there are also youth programs for teenagers and young adults.

For the elderly there was the meals on wheels and senior citizen programs.

The strategy also looked at healthy living, prevention of environmental hazards and encouraging sport to keep people healthy.

Ballarat mayor Samantha McIntosh said the plan aimed also addressed inequality in health outcomes.

“There has been that focus on gender and recognising the health disparities accessed by gender,” she said.

“There are statistics that tell us women can be affected if we have not got the right programs available, that there have been health disparities caused by gender.”

These issues have been addressed through community respect and equality plans for violence against women.

Council has also been involved with the Western Bulldogs’ Daughters of the West program for girls.

Ms Cape said she thought council had got its draft plan right.

“We work closely with the City of Ballarat and other health organisations in determining health priorities,” she said.

Ratepayer can view the plan at the MySay website.