Food for Health Alliance is a leading policy and advocacy voice working to improve diets and prevent overweight and obesity in Australia. They advocate for changes to laws and policies that shape our food environment; how food is made, labelled, sold, and advertised, aiming to make healthy choices easier and support wellbeing for all Australians.
The Balnaves Foundation’s medical strategy focuses on improving health outcomes for young Australians through the prevention and early intervention of chronic conditions, which are the leading cause of illness, disability, and death in Australia. Rising rates of chronic disease, combined with an ageing population, increasing healthcare costs, and high consumer expectations, are putting unprecedented strain on individuals, communities, and the health system.
Poor diets are widespread: Australians consume high levels of ultra-processed foods rich in fat, sugar, and sodium, while more than 90% fail to meet recommended fruit and vegetable guidelines. This contributes to increasing rates of diet-related chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and oral health issues. Living with overweight or obesity significantly raises the risk of preventable chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and at least thirteen forms of cancer. Adult obesity in Australia has risen from 24% in 2007–08 to 31% in 2022, overtaking tobacco as the nation’s leading cause of preventable disease burden. Reducing overweight and poor diets is a national health and economic priority.
A key project supported by The Balnaves Foundation is Food for Health Alliance’s initiative to accelerate progress toward an Australian health levy on sugary drinks. Australians are high consumers of sugary drinks, including soft drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, fruit drinks, and cordials, which contribute little nutritional value and are a major source of added sugar (a 600ml bottle of soft drink can contain up to 16 teaspoons).
A health levy on sugary drinks is recommended by the World Health Organization and has been successfully implemented in nearly 120 countries, including the UK and Mexico. Evidence shows it reduces sugar consumption, encourages reformulation, increases low- and no-sugar options, and generates revenue for health promotion. In Australia, the levy is endorsed by high-profile public health organisations, supported by the National Preventive Health Strategy, the National Obesity Strategy, and recommended by the 2024 House of Representatives Inquiry into Diabetes.
Food for Health Alliance is a partnership between Cancer Council Victoria, VicHealth, Healthway, and the Global Centre for Nutrition and Preventive Health at Deakin University.