Christine Couzens MP member for Geelong
Unfortunately people have such busy lives these days that they do rely on fast food for themselves and often for their families.
It is not the ideal food for their children, but having been a parent of four young kids at one time, I understand the difficulties that young families face.
The State Government has brought in laws for a kilojoule labelling scheme which requires large fast food chains and supermarkets to display the kilojoule content of standard ready-to-eat food and non-alcoholic drinks on menus, along with the advice: The average daily adult energy intake is 8700 kilojoules.
According to Diabetes Victoria, one person in four will develop diabetes, and that is often linked to the way we live today.
The lifestyle factors that can increase the risk of developing type two diabetes include not being active enough and whether you are overweight.
Kilojoule labelling is a highly cost-effective health and consumer information initiative, and it also creates awareness for consumers and creates an opportunity for them to think about their health and well-being.
Numerous Australian and overseas studies link kilojoule labelling to a reduction in kilojoules purchased or consumed.
Evidence suggests kilojoule labelling also encourages chain food businesses to offer healthier alternatives to energy-dense meals. We know that eight out of 10 Australian consumers favour fast-food outlets displaying calorie counts on menus.
Obesity is a growing issue, with nearly half the population self-reporting being overweight or obese. Obesity and being overweight pose a major risk for chronic disease, including type two diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke and some forms of cancer.
The key causes are increased consumption of energy-dense foods that are high in saturated fats and sugars, and reduced physical activity.
According to VicHealth, being obese and overweight has been shown to have a significant effect on a person’s mental and social health and can also make them subject to discrimination and negative attitudes. We know of course that a lot of children are bullied at school because they are overweight, and obesity can cause lots of other issues.
The psychological damage that is done to kids through bullying at school can have a major impact, so it is not just the obesity in itself but lots of other issues that can flow from that.
I have met with many constituents who fully support these laws which provide important education and awareness to the broader community.
