Health body sets up bloggers’ area on its website

An organisation dedicated to combating obesity is seeking the support of the blogging community in its bid to improve food labeling in Australia.

The Obesity Policy Coalition (OPC) has set up a dedicated blogger’s area on its website in a bid to encourage bloggers to help spread word about its new smartphone application Traffic Light Food Tracker.

The Traffic Light Food Tracker app, launched today, is a demo of how traffic light labels on the front of packaged food products might work.

According to the OPC website:

Traffic light labels cut through food companies’ marketing spin to help you understand the true nutrition content of foods, and make informed choices.

Traffic light labels provide an easy to interpret guide as to whether the levels of certain nutrients (fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt) in a product are low, medium or high.

The OPC was established by:

• Cancer Council Victoria
• Diabetes Australia – Victoria
• VicHealth
• World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Obesity Prevention at Deakin University.

Aside from getting people to talk about the Traffic Light Food Tracker app, the OPC is also keen to engage bloggers who have an interest in overweight issues and obesity prevention to get behind its campaign.

Some suggestions on how bloggers can get involved include:

• Place a Traffic Light Food Tracker widget on your blog to help spread the message about the need for reform in food labelling (works a bit like the app but is a widget for a blog or website).
• Write a post about why you are concerned about the issue of food labelling, obesity, food marketing to children or even your struggles with weight loss (more suggestions here).
• Sign the campaign letter: Encourage readers to try the app out and if they feel strongly about the issue email the Health Minister from their state and the Chair of the Ministerial Council tasked with reviewing food labelling.

Want more?

• Check out the OPC bloggers’ area.
• Download the Traffic Light Food Tracker app (links here).
• Follow the OPC on Facebook and Twitter.