WELLINGTON, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand food industry is encouraged to enhance its work to tackle obesity in the country, released in a government statement on Saturday.
Reducing sugar, fat and salt in the food products, better information for consumers, and tighter restrictions on advertising to children are recommended in the statement.
A report published by the New Zealand Food Industry Taskforce in December last year details the industry's proposals for working alongside Government to reduce obesity. The proposals are welcomed by the government.
"New Zealand government is serious about tackling obesity which affects about a million New Zealanders and their families, contributing to cancer, diabetes, amputations and heart disease," New Zealand Health Minister David Clark said.
"It's also a huge burden on our health care services and economy. The most recent estimate suggests it's costing us about 624 million New Zealand dollars a year," said Clark.
It is understood that the New Zealand government plans to formalise its engagement with the food industry on these work, by closely monitor their progress on these initiatives and to coordinate with Food Standards Australia New Zealand to review nutrition labeling for added sugars and to develop a policy guideline on food labeling to support consumers to make informed and healthier food choices.
Up to 34 percent of New Zealand adults are overweight according to a survey by New Zealand Ministry of Health in 2017. (1 New Zealand dollar equals 0.64 U.S. dollar)
