Australian food industry ‘hijacks’ strategies designed to tackle public health crises, conference hears

A public health conference in Sydney heard that the Australian Health Star Rating system is flawed because it is voluntary, which means the food industry only places it on their healthier products. Photograph: Yui Mok/PA

It’s a “risky business” for the government to work with the food industry to tackle health crises like obesity, an international public health conference has been told, with effective food packaging labels already jeopardised.

Dr Dori Patay, a researcher with the Menzies Centre in Sydney, said despite ample evidence of the harmful influence of the food industry on health policy, governments increasingly regard the food industry as “partners” in addressing chronic diseases.