The Obesity Policy Coalition has released its election priorities for the 2022 Federal Election, setting out four key actions for the next government to implement, to protect and promote the health of Australians.
Under the framework of the National Obesity Strategy and the National Preventive Health Strategy OPC is urging the incoming government to prioritise action to:
- Protect Children from unhealthy food and drink marketing
- Inform consumers about the harmful sugars in packaged foods
- Protect the health of our youngest Australians by improving the composition, labelling and promotion of baby and toddler foods; and
- Reduce sugary drink consumption by introducing a health levy on sugary drinks.
To protect and promote the health of all Australians we need a society that supports good health and wellbeing, with environments that promote healthy, delicious food and set the foundation for a healthy future for Australian children.
Instead, Australia’s food environment is putting the profits of the processed food industry above public health. Enabling processed food companies to bombard Australian children with marketing for unhealthy food and drinks, use harmful sugar ingredients in foods for babies and toddlers, label packaged foods without informing about harmful sugars and sell sugary drinks with excessive amounts of sugar at low prices.
Action is needed now to improve the food environment for every Australian – this is a key factor in improving diets, reducing the number of Australians above a healthy weight and preventing associated chronic diseases and conditions, including some cancers, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Read the Obesity Policy Coalition’s 2022 Federal election priorities.