Leading health bodies welcome kJ menu
labelling bill
Leading health organisations have today congratulated
the Victorian Government for passing legislation to make kilojoule labelling on
menus mandatory, as new data shows the majority of Victorians support the move,
along with an education campaign.
The Heart Foundation, Cancer Council Victoria and
Obesity Policy Coalition have been advocating for mandatory kilojoule labelling
laws in Victorian fast food chains for several years to empower consumers to
order meals lower in kilojoules.
Heart Foundation Victoria CEO Kellie-Ann Jolly said the
laws would be popular with a new survey showing that four in five Victorian adults
want kilojoule information in fast food and snack chain [i].
"Victorians are eating out more than ever and many people
want to make healthier choices. These new laws will ensure consumers can compare
the kilojoule content of the food and drinks on offer and help them make more
informed decisions," Ms Jolly said.
Under the
proposed laws, large Victorian fast food and supermarket chains will be
required to display the kilojoule content of food and drinks, along with the
average daily energy intake (8,700kJ) on their menus by 2018.
"As well as displaying the energy content on menus, our
research shows Victorians are also in favour of an education campaign to help
explain kilojoules – what's high, what's low and how many we need each day," Ms
Jolly added.
Currently, more than half (52%) of Victorians [ii]
said they weren't sure how many kilojoules were in the foods and drinks they
purchased from fast food and snack chains.
Of those who weren't sure, more than two thirds (67%)
believed an education campaign would help them understand how many kilojoules were
in food and drinks they consumed and three in five (58%) said it would help them
understand how many they need in a day.
Cancer
Council Victoria Accredited Practicing Dietitian Alison McAleese said displaying
kilojoules on menus, along with an education campaign, has been shown to be
effective and would be a positive step in helping to tackle our overweight and
obesity problem.
"Nearly two thirds of Victorians are overweight and obese – a leading
risk factor for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers," Ms McAleese
said.
"When the New South Wales government introduced their kilojoule
menu labelling scheme along with the 8700
public education campaign, consumers chose meals that were on average 15
per cent lower in kilojoules.
"For a
person who eats fast food meals every day, consuming 15 per cent fewer
kilojoules each day for a year could help prevent around five kilograms in
weight gain [iii].
Obesity Policy Coalition Executive
Manager Jane Martin said the new legislation will bring Victoria in line with
New South Wales, the ACT, South Australia and Queensland and ensure consistent information
is provided on menu boards in food outlets in these jurisdictions.
"While there is no silver bullet
for reducing overweight and obesity, the introduction of mandatory kilojoule
menu labelling in Victoria is an important step," Ms Martin said.
"Currently 63 per cent of Australian
adults and 27 per cent of children are overweight or obese. The Obesity Policy
Coalition wants to see a comprehensive national obesity strategy with policies
including tougher restrictions on marketing of junk food to children and a tax
on sugary drinks tax to tackle our serious weight problem."
-ends -
[i] Heart Foundation and Cancer Council Victoria survey of
1,000 Victorians aged 25-49 conducted in April 2015.
[ii] Heart Foundation and Cancer Council Victoria survey of 558
Victorians aged 25-49 conducted in July 2016.
[iii] The NSW
evaluation found an average reduction of 519kJ per meal purchased (equates to
15%). Consuming an extra 519kJ per day than is required adds up to 190,000kJ over
a year. Excess energy is stored in the body as fat. 37,000kJ of stored energy
is around 1kg fat. Therefore 190,000kJ is 5kg stored fat. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/kilojoules-and-calories
The Obesity Policy Coalition is a group of
leading public health agencies who are concerned about the high levels of
overweight and obesity, particularly in children. The Obesity Policy Coalition
is a partnership between Diabetes Victoria, Cancer Council Victoria and the
World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Obesity Prevention at Deakin
University, with funding from VicHealth. For more information visit opc.org.au
LiveLighter is a public health education campaign delivered by the Cancer
Council Victoria and Heart Foundation. LiveLighter encourages Victorians to
lead healthier lives by changing what they eat and drink, and being more
active. For healthy recipes, tools and resources, visit livelighter.com.au