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 »

The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has welcomed the release of research by Professor Timothy Olds from the University of South Australia, which discovered that rates of childhood obesity have plateaued. Professor Olds’ research, as reported in The Australian today, found that childhood overweight rates had settled at about 23% over the past five to ten years, while childhood obesity rates were hovering around 6% over the same period. The research did, however, stress that obesity... ...Read more »

The Coalition for Responsible Nutrition Information (CRNI*) has launched a campaign to pass national legislation that will provide consumers across America with detailed nutrition information in chain restaurants and other food service establishments using a uniform standard. The National Restaurant Association (NRA), which represents the 380,000 member restaurant establishments, is supporting the scheme. “People are always looking for help to make better choices especially at the beginning... ...Read more »

The British Government is working with supermarkets, retailers and food manufacturers in an endeavour to “kick-start a lifestyle revolution” and halt rising obesity rates. A report for the government suggested that, without any intervention, 90 per cent of today’s children will be overweight or obese by 2050. This has ensured the creation of their “Change4Life” initiative. Under the Change4Life banner, the Government is galvanising support from everyone in the country... ...Read more »

An anticipated US$13.7 billion deficit for New York in 2009/10 has potentially paved the way for a tax on non-diet soft drinks in the region. New York Governor David Paterson has announced that he intends to place an 18 per cent sales tax on ‘non-diet’ soft drinks “to combat obesity and related diseases”, with the funds raised directed to healthcare. There have been other states in the US which have placed a tax on soft drinks and/or confectionery, but New York will be the... ...Read more »

The Council of Better Business Bureaus (BBB) has announced its approval of Nestlé USA’s advertising pledge as a participant in the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative - which was created to encourage companies to restrict advertising to children. The Children’s Food & Beverage Advertising Initiative was created in 2006 by BBB, with 10 major food and beverage companies, which accounted for more than two-thirds of children’s food and beverage television advertising... ...Read more »

As food manufacturers around the world step up their focus on producing new products that can cater toward a growing demand for healthy products, an Australian company has become the first to create a fruit snack bar without using puree, juice or additives. Cheeky Chewz has devised a method to produce 100% dried fruit bars that, unlike most bars, are not made from fruit juice or fruit puree. Only the stones/cores of the fruit are removed, with the whole fruit, skin and all, naturally preserved as... ...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 »

Chocolates, lollies and other sugar-rich foods will be off the menu next year in Victorian government schools under new changes to be introduced by the state government.Victoria’s Education Minister, Bronwyn Pike, said that, from the start of 2009, chocolates and lollies such as chocolate bars, marshmallows, jellybeans and sherbet will be banned from government school canteens and vending machines. “Research shows that around 37 per cent of a child’s total energy intake is consumed... ...Read more »

The UK Government has launched Change4Life, a food industry supported initiative to tackle the alrming rates of obesity in Britain. If nothing is done, by 2050 90 per cent of today’s children will be overweight and at risk from serious diseases, according Health Secretary Alan Johnson as he launched the Change4Life coalition. Change4Life is a lifestyle revolution involving thousands of local organisations and charities which, it is hoped, will help mums, dads and families eat well,... ...Read more »