The Australian food and diet industry is sought to be overhauled by the Government in its campaign against obesity. The marketing and advertising of the food and drinks industry will be monitored with the object of preventing junk food from being targeted at children.
The health and nutrition in the country is also sought to be improved by the Australian Medical Association (AMA), with new standards being set for addressing nutritional problems, starting from hospitals to schools. It is necessary to address the obesity problem of the country to prevent 50% of the youth of Australia from becoming overweight by the year 2025.A National Nutrition Centre is also planned to be established in the country which will advice the Government with regard to weight loss programs, public education campaigns, surveys and research. The country is witnessing a 1% annual increase with regard to childhood obesity, and overweight children are likely to end up as overweight adults.
The children in Australia are suffering from problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, type II diabetes, and liver disease. The consumption of junk food by children is reportedly responsible for this state of affairs. Breast-feeding is recommended by the AMA during the first six months of an infant’s life, and junk food should not be sold at canteens at the country’s schools. A national nutrition survey that is comprehensive is also considered necessary by the AMA, as the existing data is quite old.
The country’s Islander and Aboriginal women should not be ignored when it comes to improving the nutritional status in the country, and a program towards this end should be funded by the Government. Food fortification is also being recommended by the AMA.
