Leading Australian obesity experts have called on Cricket Australia to end its sponsorship arrangements with KFC, claiming its promotional support for a fast food giant is unhelpful at a time when childhood obesity is considered a major concern.The call was made in a letter published yesterday in the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) by the directors of Sydney University’s Institute of Nutrition Obesity and Exercise. Professors Stephen Colagiuri and Ian Caterson said they were alarmed during... ...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 involve... ...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 »
Fibre, green tea extract and soy protein are among the ingredients food and beverage manufacturers are turning towards to help lighten the growing pressures of the global obesity epidemic, according to Euromonitor International’s new report “Weight Management Ingredients in Foods and Beverages“. As consumers increasingly turn to healthier lifestyle choices and governments push to address and create a solution for rising obesity rates, manufacturers are looking towards ingredients... ...Read more »
All school pupils in grades one to three (P1 - P3) in Scotland are to be entitled to free school meals following successful pilot schemes. The move is designed to improve the nutritious content of foods eaten by young children. Plans for a national roll out were announced overnight after pilot schemes ran across five local authorities and 35,000 children between October 2007 and June 2008. Uptake of meals among these students rose from 53 per cent to 75 per cent. Within the target group of pupils... ...Read more »
Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger yesterday signed new legislation making California the first American state to have its restaurant chains with 20 or more locations statewide post calorie information on menus and indoor menu boards for consumers. Similar legislation was introduced earlier this year in New York City. “This legislation will help Californians make more informed, healthier choices by making calorie information easily accessible at thousands of restaurants throughout our... ...Read more »
Health and consumer groups are calling for an overhaul of food packaging regulations following the release of new research carried out by Ipsos-Eureka Social Research Institute, which suggested the ‘traffic light’ labeling system would assist consumers in their decision-making process. The survey of nearly 800 shoppers from Newcastle and Sydney, commissioned by a group of health and consumer groups including the Cancer Council and CHOICE, found 81 per cent of shoppers could correctly identify... ...Read more »
The Australian CEO of the world’s leading fast-food chain McDonald’s, believes the childhood obesity issue is down to a lack of exercise, as debate rages about the responsibilities of food retailers, manufacturers and marketers. Chief Executive Peter Bush told the House of Representatives inquiry into obesity that there were a number of reasons for the drop off in exercise and believes new studies would absolve fast-food companies of much of the responsibility for the ‘obesity epidemic’.... ...Read more »
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... ...Read more »