The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has released its draft Children’s Television Standards 2008 for public and industry comment, with general restrictions on food and beverage advertising not recommended. “ACMA’s draft standards are informed by a significant body of commissioned research, review and analysis of available data, detailed economic modelling and its consideration of public submissions,” said Chris Chapman, ACMA Chairman. “The draft... ...Read more »

The Bligh Government is considering a blanket ban of junk food advertising on children’s television as part of a strategy to help reverse the alarming rate of childhood obesity in Queensland.Premier Anna Bligh and Health Minister Stephen Robertson today released a discussion paper inviting public feedback on restricting junk food ads, the first initiative under today’s ‘Advancing Health Action - Australia’s Healthiest People’. “My Government puts a premium on children’s... ...Read more »

New legal controls, including cross-border laws, are needed to halt all marketing of junk food and soft drinks to children up to 16 years, according to new proposals from the International Association for the Study of Obesity (IASO). The only promotions permitted to target children should be for foods which meet strict criteria for a healthy diet, says IASO’s policy arm, the International Obesity Taskforce (IOTF). An IOTF working group is calling for legal steps as part of an international... ...Read more »

A new community kitchen, which assists in boosting the number of skilled hospitality workers while also helping disadvantaged members of the community, was opened today by Victorian Premier John Brumby.The kitchen - an initiative of Youth Projects Incorporated, a not-for-profit body funded by Victorian, Commonwealth and local government grants - will provide training opportunities in hospitality and health promotion while also providing food for disadvantaged people in the local community. Mr Brumby... ...Read more »

The notion of calorie counts on restaurant menus has polarised opinion in the US, as California appears likely to follow in the footsteps of New York and introduce controversial calorie count legislation. New York introduced a law earlier this year which requires calorie information to be shown next to items on the menus of restaurant chains with over 15 stores. The restaurant industry is against the plans as they feel the implementation of such legislation unfairly singles them out as the prime... ...Read more »

The Council of Better Business Bureaus has released its first report on the progress that participants in BBB’s groundbreaking self-regulation program - the ‘Children’s Food & Beverage Advertising Initiative’ - have made in changing the children’s food and beverage advertising landscape. BBB has assessed the participants’ compliance with their pledges regarding child-directed advertising of their food and beverage products and concluded that the participants... ...Read more »

The Australian Food and Grocery Council, the national body representing Australia’s food and grocery products manufacturers today welcomed the New South Wales Government’s $36 million initiative aimed at tackling obesity. The NSW Government yesterday unveiled their ‘Obesity Strategy’, with a $36 million commitment designed to decrease obesity levels amongst children from 25 per cent to 22 per cent by 2016. It involves a social marketing campaign, a research centre, advice... ...Read more »

A new report from independent market analyst Datamonitor has revealed that UK consumers are eating more fresh fruits and vegetables to meet their “five a day” target. Between 2002 and 2007, the annual consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables in the UK increased from 93kg per person in 2002 to 113kg in 2007, and Datamonitor forecasts this will increase to 123kg in 2012. The 21.5% increase in consumption rates is indicative of the success of the “five a day” message... ...Read more »

For the first time, retailers, media, advertisers, food & drink manufacturers, fitness and healthcare companies partner with Government in the quest to fight against obesity. The industry consortium, spearheaded by the Advertising Association and working in partnership across Government, will aim to encourage healthy diets and physical activity in the run up to the London 2012 Olympics and make a significant and measurable contribution to fighting obesity in the UK. The firms involved,... ...Read more »

A proposal to prevent new fast food establishments from opening in the south of Los Angeles is one step closer to becoming reality. The area is one of the poorest in LA and the high number of fast food restaurants has caused concern that it might be contributing to high rates of obesity in the area. A recent study suggested children living in the south of the city were significantly more likely to be obese than those in the rest of LA (30% compared to 21%). The ordinance is designed to... ...Read more »