Govt healthy food bid has failed: study

A federal government body set up to change Australia's deadly eating habits has been a dismal failure, according to an evaluation by a team of researchers.

In four years, the Food and Health Dialogue has done little to improve the nutritional content of food or help educate people about healthy eating.

This means food sold to the public continues to be laden with fat, sugar and salt, according to the evaluation published in the Medical Journal of Australia.

"Poor diet is now an even bigger cause of ill health for Australia than smoking," said lead researcher Professor Bruce Neal of The George Institute and the University of Sydney.

Part of the dialogue's role is to encourage fibre and whole-grain content in food and to set limits for salt, fat, sugar.

However, only 11 targets of a possible 124 have been set and none have been achieved, according to the evaluation.

There is also no evidence that any of the proposed educational programs had been implemented.

"The dialogue has fantastic aims but a very weak implementation plan," said Prof Neale, calling for the health minister to make it a priority.

"If we are to get on top of health problems like obesity, diabetes and heart disease we have to fully implement the dialogue's objectives."

The dialogue, a partnership between government organisations, public health groups and the food industry, was unlikely to be successful in its current form, however.

Policy had to be driven by people who have public health rather than profit as their primary interest. "We need the food industry there to help resolve the problem, but they can't be setting policy."

Co-author Professor Rob Moodie, from the University of Melbourne, said there was a need for the government to make it a priority.

However, powerful industry lobby groups were "stifling action".

The authors said Australia could learn a lot from similar programs in the US and UK.

"The UK experience has shown that these types of initiatives can be effective, but action in Australia is occurring at a glacial pace," said Jane Martin from the Obesity Policy Coalition.

"If we don't want to be the first generation to outlive our children, then we need to get serious.

"We need meaningful targets, with sanctions for non-compliance."