DITCH THE "HEALTH" STAR RATING SYSTEM!! #kidsrealfoodrevolution #buildabetterlunchbox

DITCH THE "HEALTH" STAR RATING SYSTEM!! #kidsrealfoodrevolution #buildabetterlunchbox

Started
6 February 2016
Petition to
NZ & Australian Governments
Petition Closed
This petition had 6,941 supporters

Why this petition matters

Started by Claire Deeks

Hi there!

I'm Claire Deeks and together with my son Dominic today we're asking for your support to help our children make healthier food choices.

What's this petition about in a nutshell?

We're asking you to sign below to confirm your support of petitions to the NZ and Australian Houses of Representatives to ditch the Health Star Rating System in both countries in favour of a much simpler visual depiction of how many teaspoons of sugar are in the product and more education on why and how to eat real food.

Your help is needed to make a real difference.

We need your help to make a real difference. We've got a serious situation in children's health in our countries.

NZ and Australia rank 3rd and 4th respectively in the obesity rankings globally with over 30% of New Zealanders and over 28% of Australian's are considered obese. Obesity is one of the most important risk factors for a number of major diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and several common cancers.

Rates of diabetes (including juvenile diabetes) are now epidemic in both countries - estimates put the number of diabetics at over 1.5 million in Australia and over 300,000 in New Zealand.

While experts are not all in agreement on causation for these diseases there is growing consensus that sugar is public health enemy number one.

What is the Health Food Star System?

This system is a government led initiative developed in 2014 for packaged foods in New Zealand and Australia. The number of stars associated with each food - 0.5 to 5 stars out of a possible 5 stars - is determined by complicated algorithms that supposedly consider the overall nutritional value of the food product and give more stars to those foods said to have better nutritional value.

Despite the good intentions that may lie behind the it, the fact is that, in creating this system, governments in both countries have fallen into the trap of effectively endorsing packaged food - and hardly the healthiest packaged food at that.

What’s the problem exactly?

The rating system is a classic example of the type of thinking that's led us to the health issues most prevalent in western society today. It encourages a focus on single nutrients and calorific information.

Proponents of the system argue that the stars allow for comparison between similar items on the supermarket shelf. That may be true. So for example the system rates one high sugar cereal against another high sugar cereal and then gives a higher rating to the product that complies best with the algorithm (perhaps less salt or more added vitamins).

However, the practical reality is that where any star is awarded to a product (but particularly where it's 3 star or higher) then that product is seen having been given an outright seal of approval (regardless of comparative products on the shelf). And indeed the labelling on the packets encourages this stating as it does: "Put simply, the more stars the healthier the choice." This is highly misleading.

Specific examples of the problem.

The World Health Organisation recommends no more than 3 teaspoons of sugar per day for a child. There are also numerous studies showing the problems with vegetable oils and also (especially for children) significant issues with many additives and preservatives. With that in mind, here are some examples of where the star rating system goes horribly wrong:

  • Flavoured milk with over 9 tsp of sugar in a single serve with 4.5 stars.
  • Vegetable oil spreads made with preservatives and colours with 5 stars (whilst butter gets 0.5 stars).
  • Juice being awarded 4 stars.
  • Artificially flavoured low fat yoghurt receiving 5 stars.
  • Cocoa powder blend that's almost 50% sugar awarded 4.5 stars.
  • Snack bars with added flavours, vegetable oils + other additives & preservatives obtaining 3 stars.
  • Cereals with added flavours, vegetable oils + other additives & preservatives having 4.5 stars.

This is a fundamentally flawed system which sends entirely the wrong message to busy and tired parents shopping for their kids.

The bottom line is, the Healthy Food Star System isn't intuitive. On the contrary: It's very confusing (some would say deliberately deceptive) and, most of all, it's ultimately government endorsement of packaged, processed food. 

What’s the alternative?

Well to start with if there's to be any labelling of packaged foods then such labelling ought to relate to the degree of processing the food has gone through as well as the amount and type of additives and preservatives and of course the nutrients provided by the food and their known effects on human health.

But a very simple and easy to understand system (that's gathered significant support and would help clear up a lot of confusion by dealing with one of the worst issues of many processed foods) is to simply ensure that all packaged foods carry on front of package the amount of sugar in actual teaspoons. (Yes - an actual picture of the teaspoons.)

Alternatively - instead of spending millions (and it really is multiple millions) trying to educate people on yet another labelling system - we could put renewed focus on eating real foods. Whole foods. Which don't need labels!

What can you do?

We really need your help today to sign & share this petition.

Share it on your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram - let's get it out there and make a difference! Tell the NZ and Australian Governments it's time to ditch this ridiculous ratings system and get back to emphasising consumption of real food. If there is to be any system let it be simply the visual representation of teaspoons of sugar.

So please sign & share (it only takes a minute) and let’s help our governments to do the right thing.

Thank you for your support we very much appreciate it.

Claire & Dom xo

Petition organised by:

Claire Deeks
Dom’s Kitchen
E: claire@domskitchen.co.nz | M: 021 755 646
A: Dom’s Kitchen Ltd, P O Box 106026 Auckland 1143.

About Dom's Kitchen

At Dom's Kitchen I'm on a mission with my son Dominic to get more children eating more real food and making it as fun, easy and delicious as possible. I'm especially passionate about helping parents build a better lunch box - a lunch box with more real food and less packaged/highly processed foods - to nourish their children's growing bodies.

Find out more at www.domskitchen.co.nz and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/domskitchen.blog

You can also see what we're up to at www.instagram.com/kidslunchboxrevolution (for ideas for real food lunch boxes) and www.instagram.com/thesupermarketsleuth (for the best and worst of the supermarket including plenty examples of the ridiculous health star rating system.

Petition Closed

This petition had 6,941 supporters

Share this petition

Share this petition in person or use the QR code for your own material.Download QR Code

Decision-Makers

  • NZ & Australian Governments