The George Institute for Global Health welcomes the recent re-commitment from the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation (the Forum) to reform the Health Star Rating (HSR) of juices.

Dr Alexandra Jones, Research Fellow, Food Policy and Law at The George Institute welcomes the decision to give juices the appropriate HSR.

“High scoring juices were identified as problematic during the launch of the HSR System as they lead consumers to believe they are a healthy beverage. However, the Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADGs) acknowledge they are not,” she said.

“Even 100 percent fruit juices contain a large amount of sugar and should only be consumed occasionally, in small amounts.”

“Despite recent media engagement from juice producers, this limited concession in the ADGs does not constitute a recommendation for most Australians to drink fruit juice.”

“This decision confirms that water is the best choice when it comes to drinks. It also builds on earlier Health Star reforms that make sure all whole fruit and vegetables receive a five star rating. The message we hope to send is that its better to eat your fruit.”

“We congratulate Forum ministers who supported evidence-based policy regarding this important issue. This decision will help consumers make informed choices based on nutritional science and best evidence,” Ms Jones said.

Facts about the HSR System:

• The HSR is Australasia’s voluntary front-of-pack nutrition labelling system. Its aim is to guide consumers towards healthier packaged foods.
• The George Institute’s research shows that the HSR is still only on less than half of all products in the supermarket, mostly those that score well.
• Health and consumer groups continue to call for HSR to be made mandatory to deliver their full benefit to consumers.

The George Institute made a submission to the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) Public Consultation on Research Priorities in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health.

The submission highlights the need for more research to be conducted into the prominence of systemic racism within Australia’s health system and the impacts on health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The submission is in line with the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013-2023 which has a vision for:

“an Australian health system free of racism and inequality whereby all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have access to health services that are effective, high quality, appropriate and affordable.”

Keziah Bennett-Brook, Program Lead of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program at The George Institute says racism is directly linked to the access of health care.

“Racism within Australia’s health system is a major barrier to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ access to culturally safe health care and impacts the ability to receive the same quality of health care services as non-Indigenous Australians,” Ms Bennett-Brook said.

“We know that racism is a key determinant of health and 2020 was a year that put a spotlight on the capacity for our health systems to respond to a pandemic while the Black Lives Matter movement revealed the pervasive racism of our institutions and society.”

“Within Australia we have seen that racialised injustices continue to occur within our health system. It is imperative we advance our knowledge and evidence within this significant gap to ensure that our health system is culturally safe and responsive to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”

“While we are pleased to hear of the NHMRC commitment to allocating at least 5 percent of the Medical Research Endowment Account to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research, we believe this investment needs to be focused on research into health systems and broader social determinants that impact upon ongoing health inequities faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,” Ms Bennett-Brook said.

Read the full statement here (PDF 775 KB)

The George Institute for Global Health China has been named Best Independent Global Medical Research Institute 2020 for its efforts to improve health and combat chronic disease in China and around the world.

The recognition was part of APAC Insider’s annual Business Awards, celebrating the success of companies of all sizes across the APAC region, regardless of industry.

APAC Insider is home to news, features and comment from people and institutions across the region.

Prof Craig Anderson, Executive Director of The George Institute China said it was a fantastic honour to win the award.

“The mission of The George Institute for Global Health is to improve the health of millions of people worldwide and we are doing just that in China,” he said.

“Focusing on non-communicable diseases, we are committed to providing innovative, scalable healthcare solutions through the conduct of high-quality, high-impact, research projects.”

News of the award has provided a boost to staff at The George Institute China who are starting a new year more committed than ever to the goal of improving the lives of millions of people worldwide.