National & international strategies

 

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The frameworks and strategies play and important guiding role in changing
the food environment to better support healthier diets. They must reflect
and be designed to support positive changes to the food environment.

National Obesity Strategy

Launched in March 2022 the National Obesity Strategy aims to halt the rise and reverse the trend in the prevalence of obesity in adults, and to reduce overweight and obesity in children and adolescents by at least 5% by 2030.

Food for Health Alliance welcomed the release of the National Obesity Strategy but over a year on we are yet to see any implementation strategy or action. Food for Health Alliance is calling for governments across Australia to take action to ensure the aims of the National Obesity Strategy are met.

National Obesity Strategy

National Preventive Health Strategy

National Preventive Health Strategy

Chronic conditions are the leading cause of ill health and death in Australia, accounting for 87% of deaths. The National Preventive Health Strategy is a 10-year strategy designed to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians at all stages of life. One of the seven focus areas requiring critical action is nutrition.

Read the strategy

Tipping the Scales

In the ground-breaking report, Tipping the Scales, 35 leading community, public health, medical and academic groups identify eight clear, practical, evidence-based actions the Australian Federal Government must take to reduce the enormous strain excess weight and poor diets are having on the nation’s physical and economic health.

Learn more

Food Policy Index

Food Policy Index

Food Policy Index

Comprehensive government policy action is needed to address obesity and improve population diets.

Unhealthy diets and obesity are leading contributors to poor health in Australia. Addressing obesity and improving population diets requires a comprehensive government response at the Commonwealth and State/Territory levels.

There is expert consensus internationally on policy actions that are required to improve population nutrition and create healthier food environments.

Our partner, the Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE) at Deakin University (with support from Food for Health Alliance and The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre) created the Food Policy Index to assess the extent to which each jurisdiction in Australia is implementing globally recommended policies, and identify priority actions at the state/territory and federal level.

The Food Policy Index covers key policy areas, including specific aspects of food environments (such as food composition, labelling, promotion, prices and provision) that have been shown to have an important impact on population diets and obesity, as well as infrastructure support (including leadership, governance, monitoring and funding) that helps facilitate effective policy implementation.

Obesity in Australia - A decade of inaction

In 2008, the Australian Government appointed a National Preventative Health Taskforce to develop strategies to tackle chronic disease caused by tobacco, alcohol and obesity. The Taskforce released a final report entitled Australia: The Healthiest Country by 2020 – National Preventative Health Strategy – The roadmap for action.

The roadmap outlined 27 recommended action items under 10 Key Action Areas designed to reduce and control obesity in Australia. In 2010, the Government published its response to the roadmap, indicating its plans and intended actions in relation to each Key Action Area.

The Obesity Policy Coalition’s report (now Food for Health Alliance), Obesity in Australia: a decade of inaction, assesses the progress made in the decade since the Commonwealth Government published its response to the roadmap.

Of the 27 recommended actions made in the original roadmap to reduce and control obesity in Australia, we found that only one had been fully completed. Many (20) have made limited progress, while six have not been progressed at all.

Read the full report: OPC_InAction_Report_FINAL.pdf

Read the appendix with detailed analysis that supports the report:  Obesity in Australia - A decade of inaction Appendix final version.pdf.

Food Policy Index

Latest

Sisters holding broccoli in the supermarket fresh food aisle

World Obesity Day: Public health groups slam lack of action on tackling Australia’s growing obesity crisis

This World Obesity Day, Food for Health Alliance has singled out government inaction on tackling Australia’s growing obesity crisis, with little progress made since the National Obesity Strategy was launched in 2022.
Media
Mum, toddler son in fresh food section of supermarket selecting a capsicum

Inquiry into Diabetes 2023

Food for Health Alliance's submission for the Inquiry into Diabetes recommends implementing a package of reforms to prevent obesity, improve diets and reduce risks for chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes. Key priority reforms put forward include implementing a 20% health levy on sugary drink manufacturers; comprehensive government regulation to protect children from unhealthy food marketing; and mandating and strengthening the Health Star Rating system across all packaged foods. Read more
Submission

The commercial determinants of unhealthy diets

Unhealthy diets are a leading risk factor for obesity and non-communicable disease. Food choices are made within the context of people’s social circumstances as well as the broader food environment. Read more
Research

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Protecting children from unhealthy food marketing 

Learn about protecting children from the processed food industry’s unhealthy food marketing.

Improving baby and toddler foods

Learn about improving the composition, labelling and promotion of ready-made foods for babies and toddlers to support good health.

Improving food labelling

Labelling of packaged foods should provide accurate information that enables consumers to make choices in line with dietary guidelines. Learn about our work to improve food labelling.

Pricing measures for healthier diets

Pricing measures can promote healthier diets through encouraging reformulation by industry and by influencing the purchase and consumption of food and drinks.

National & international strategies

Learn about the frameworks and strategies that play an important role in changing the food environment to better support healthier diets.