A proposal to ban alcohol advertising in sport has been put forward by the Federal Government’s Preventative Health Taskforce, according to newspaper reports. The Taskforce, set up to offer a guide to the future health strategy of the nation, handed their report to the government at the end of last month – although it has yet to be publicly released. Reports from News Limited suggest that it highlights a need to rid sport of alcohol advertising in a bid to tackle binge drinking. The issue... ...Read more »

Eighteen major catering companies, including many high street fast-food brands, will introduce calorie information on their menus for the first time. The list of trailblazers, announced overnight by UK Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo and the Food Standards Agency, will start displaying calorie information from the end of April. The list includes workplace caterers, sit down and quick-service restaurants, theme parks and leisure attractions, pub restaurants, cafes and sandwich chains. Companies... ...Read more »

Australian restaurants could soon be forced to follow some of their American counterparts by posting calorie counts on menus. The Preventative Health Taskforce, set up to provide recommendations to the Federal Government on health policy going forward, is contemplating a number of labelling approaches. The Taskforce is to submit the ‘National Preventative Health Strategy’ to the Department of Health and Ageing in June this year, with many potential changes affecting all in the food industry. Chairman... ...Read more »

A Senate inquiry has knocked back a Bill proposing a ban on junk food advertising to children. The Australian Food and Grocery Council has welcomed the release of a Senate Inquiry into the ‘Protecting Children from Junk Food Advertising Broadcasting Amendment) Bill 2008′. AFGC CEO Kate Carnell said that the ‘fundamentally flawed’ bill was unnecessary as industry is already set to introduce its own Responsible Children’s Marketing Initiative, on 1 January 2009. Ms... ...Read more »

The release of the Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey last Friday provided some interesting findings for food retailers and manufacturers beyond the discovery that 23% of 2-16 year-old children are overweight or obese; with required dietary changes providing opportunities for many in the food industry. Milk-related products and cereals and cereal products (cakes, biscuits, pastries etc.) were the greatest contributors to energy intake, according to the survey – the first of its kind to... ...Read more »

The Australian National Children’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey has found that 72 per cent of 2-16 year old children were of a healthy weight, but 17 per cent were overweight, 6 per cent obese and 5 per cent underweight. The results of the 2007 survey were released today by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Jan McLucas; the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Tony Burke; and the Chief Executive of the Australian Food and Grocery... ...Read more »