The Victorian Government has taken steps in the battle of the bulge to try and make consumers more aware about the food they are eating. Nastasia Campanella reports.

Would you read nutritional labels on fast foods? Image: teampeaks

The Brumby Government have announced that nutritional information would have to be listed on the menus of fast food outlets.

“We are taking action to tackle the obesity epidemic in Australia and are driving significant change to address diabetes and improve health and well-being,” said John Brumby, Premier of Victoria.

The scheme will be applicable to businesses with more than 200 franchises nationally or more than 50 Victorian outlets, whose primary service is to serve prepared food and drinks.

The initiative, to be rolled out in 2012, is the first in Australia and is a scheme already successful in America and Scotland.

Victoria’s Health Minister, Daniel Andrews, said rates of diabetes fueled by an unhealthy lifestyle and being over-weight were high.

“If we maintain current diabetes incidence rates, more than a third of our population would develop diabetes within their life time and in Australia there would be an additional one million cases of diabetes by the year 2025,” said Andrews.

“We are concerned about health in the community and believe serious and substantial change is required over the next 10 years.”

Professor Ian Olver – head of the Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance congratulated the Brumby Government on the move.

He said the initiative should help Australian’s make informed decisions about what they eat and would help tackle growing rates of obesity.

“I don’t have official statistics for how many people eat out on a weekly basis, but I do know that food eaten away from home accounts for a growing proportion of our diet,” Professor Olver said.

“An initiative like this was set up in the US years ago and has made a significant difference.”

However, Dr Barbara Mullan from Sydney University’s School of Psychology, said the scheme wouldn’t necessarily change consumers eating habits.

“If people understand the [traffic-light] system used on food labels like the ones used in the UK, eating habits would be affected, but this is based on chance,” she said.

“If people are motivated to make healthier choices at the time of purchasing their foods and can understand the information provided then they are more likely to choose healthy options over unhealthy ones.”

Professor Olver said the move would benefit food outlets if they took the right approach.

“Nutritional labeling will also provide incentives for fast food outlets to increase their range of healthier options and reformulate products to lower kilojoule [calorie] counts,” he said.

Dr Mullans agreed.

“If the outlets suffer a down turn in business then they’ll certainly offer healthier choices,” she said.

McDonalds welcomes the government's initiative. Image: Kici

McDonalds Australia is one of the outlets on board with the program.

A spokesperson from the company said they were only too happy to be part of the initiative.

“Nutrition information has always been available in our restaurants through labels on packaging and fact sheets on our website.”

“We agree the public should be provided with this information so they can make their choices about what to eat.”

The spokesperson also said McDonalds Australia welcomed the move.

“We’re glad for the opportunity to discuss the topic of nutrition labeling with the State Government and relevant health professionals.”

Professor Olver is calling on other states across Australia to get on board with the initiative.

“Premier Brumby’s initiative applies only to the larger fast food chains, but it still represents a major milestone for Australia,” he said.

“It must become a stepping-stone towards a more comprehensive national scheme and towards further initiatives to curb Australia’s escalating rates of obesity.”

Professor Olver said obesity played a part in increased risks of diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and some cancers.

“With two out of three adults and one in four children in Australia now overweight or obese, we need to do everything we can to help Australian’s achieve and maintain a healthy weight.”

Professor Olver is also the head of the Cancer Council in Australia.