There are renewed calls this week for the Australian government to implement a range of measures aimed at improving our diets. These include restrictions on junk food advertising, improvements to food labelling, and a levy on sugary drinks. This time the recommendations come from a parliamentary inquiry into diabetes in Australia.
Its final report, tabled in parliament on Wednesday, was prepared by a parliamentary committee comprising members from across the political spectrum. The release of this report could be an indication that Australia is finally going to implement the evidence-based healthy eating policies public health experts have been recommending for years. But we know Australian governments have historically been unwilling to introduce policies the powerful food industry opposes.
The question is whether the current government will put the health of Australians above the profits of companies selling unhealthy food. Diabetes is one of the fastest growing chronic health conditions in the nation, with more than 1.3 million people affected .
Projections show the number of Australians diagnosed with the condition is set to rise rapidly in coming decades. Type 2 diabetes accounts for the vast majority of cases of diabetes. It’s largely preventable, with obesity among the strongest risk factors.
This latest report makes it clear we need an urgent focus on obesity prevention to reduce the burden of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes and obesity cost the Australian economy billion.