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Food companies fight obesity battle
A recent review of the first year's progress of a voluntary accord shows a long list of initiatives undertaken by food companies to battle New Zealand's obesity epidemic.
"The signatories to the Food Industry Accord have undertaken these initiatives because they have a shared commitment to improving the health of New Zealanders; not because they have been forced to through Government regulatory intervention," says Jeremy Irwin, the chairman of the accord's promoter - the Food Industry Group.
He says that this first status report to the Minister of Health well demonstrates the effectiveness of a voluntary and co-operative approach to a serious health issue.
Food manufacturer initiatives in the accord's first year included:
expansion of existing ranges to include low fat, low sugar items;
greater focus on healthier food items in existing ranges;
product reformulation to reduce fat and salt content;
implementation of marketing strategies sensitive to children; and
production of resources designed to encourage children to increase their physical activity levels.
The Advertising Standards Authority is also carrying out a review of its code on advertising to children and its code on advertising food. The review had a high level of input from public health experts. The new codes will be published before Christmas.
The report praises the constructive contribution to industry/health sector relations made by the Ministry of Health, but notes concern about the adversarial stance taken by some public health interest groups.
"We hope that this status report will encourage these groups to engage effectively with the food industry in a constructive partnership with the Ministry of Health," Mr Irwin says.
- FIA Annual Rept to Minister Sept
- Report Appx One
- Report Appx Two
Published: 26 October 2005
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