Media releases

The Federal Government should implement a 20% tax on sugary drinks to improve the health of Australians and reduce the burden of chronic disease, according to Jane Martin, Executive Manager, Obesity Policy Coalition.

A new Obesity Policy Coalition report calls for action to protect children from junk food marketing, as profit-hungry food advertisers exploit loopholes in self-regulatory codes. The report, End the Charade, highlights the failures of self-regulation by the food and advertising industries, exposing sneaky tactics that are resulting in children being bombarded with junk food advertising.

A Fanta television advertisement and mobile phone app have been pulled after the Advertising Standards Board found they broke the rules by directly marketing an unhealthy drink to children.

The Obesity Policy Coalition is today congratulating Kellogg's on its decision to add Health Star Ratings to its breakfast cereal products.

Many popular children's fruit drinks which promote themselves as healthy options have been found to contain up to 7 teaspoons of sugar - even more sugar than for the same amount of Coke.

Australian cereal manufacturers are potentially misleading consumers by promoting healthy sounding statements on their packaging despite sugar making up more than 35% of the ingredients of some popular brands, a recent survey has revealed.

The release yesterday of the World Health Organization's guidelines around sugar has prompted a coalition of leading health organisations to call for a national strategy around obesity that includes policies to directly impact the amount of added sugars in Australians' diets.

Health groups have today condemned McDonald's for seeking to promote its unhealthy products to children in schools, kindergartens and early childhood centres.

A new report from the Obesity Policy Coalition (OPC) has revealed the incredibly large volume of junk food marketing in cricket broadcasts.

New research has revealed that 79% of Australians polled believe if we don't do more to lower the intake of fatty sugary and salty foods/drinks, our children will live shorter lives than their parents.

The Obesity Policy Coalition has welcomed the Federal Government's move to re-launch the website that facilitates the Health Star Rating label system on packaged foods.

The Obesity Policy Coalition has congratulated the Coalition Government for its pre-election commitment to tackle rising rates of obesity and associated health conditions in Victoria.

The Obesity Policy Coalition has welcomed The Greens' pledge to put prevention at the forefront of its health platform ahead of the Victorian election.

For the second time in just a few months McDonald's has been found to be in breach of its commitment to refrain from marketing products to children that are not healthy choices after another complaint was upheld by the Advertising Standards Board.

The Obesity Policy Coalition (OPC) is warning that proposed changes to food regulations could allow popular sports drinks with nearly as much sugar as soft drink to carry health claims, which could mislead the public into thinking they were healthier choices than water.