9 March 2009

Sanitarium engages in "future for food"

Berkeley Vale, New South Wales
Julie Praestiin

Early last month, a new report titled "A future for food" was launched at Australia's Parliament House by the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA). The report, as an advocacy document, calls for the government to commit to a vision for food that is integrative across all sectors, including health and the environment.

In addition, the report calls for the issues of nutrient adequacy, chronic disease reduction, food sustainability and social equity to be considered in the revision of Australia's official healthy eating recommendations.

Australia's leading health and medical authority, the National Health and Medical Research Council, is currently in the process of revising Australia's national food education guides, the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) and the Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents. The AGHE is the only government-endorsed healthy food education guide and, as such, is fundamental to the way in which the public is informed as to what constitutes a healthy diet.

In the release of the report, Michael Moore, PHAA CEO, stated that, "In reviewing the research on chronic disease, environmental sustainability and social equity, we believe it is imperative that food recommendations have a stronger emphasis on whole, or minimally processed, and plant-based foods."

The Sanitarium Health Food Company was pleased to support the PHAA in the development of this report, through the provision of an unencumbered educational grant to the PHAA.

Trish Guy, nutrition services manager for Sanitarium in Australia, says, "Sanitarium believes that food policy should incorporate a focus on not only the biological dimension but also the environmental and social aspects of food choices."