Vic: Fat tax food for thought at obesity summit
Australia's peak consumer group says a government summit on obesity should also considerthe merits of a so-called fat tax on junk food.
Victorian Health Minister JOHN THWAITES has called the two-day summit to look at waysof stopping Victorians getting fatter.
The talkfest will consider options including regulating fast food meal deals, banningjunk food advertising during children's television hours and putting warnings on junkfood packaging.
The Australian Consumers Association has welcomed the summit and suggests a tax onjunk food should be added to the agenda.
The association's senior health policy officer NICOLA BALLENDEN says making the fresh,healthy alternative cheaper would make it more appealing.
Mr THWAITES says the summit will make recommendations which he'll take to a healthministers' conference next year.
He says research shows that Australian kids aged between two and seven get one-thirdof their daily energy from snack foods.
The minister says he wants to look at how to break that sort of habit.
The summit will be held in October.
AAP RTV nl/gfr/jtb/psm/
KEYWORD: JUNK (MELBOURNE)
No comments:
Post a Comment