Background Information

Junk food Views & Research The Conversation website

The "Rethink Sugary Drink" campaign website

Campaign brief - Time to break the habit of childhood obesity – Web film

ABC news : Junk food: video (this 3 mins video only available to Scotch network users)
The latest scientific evidence suggests junk food is addictive.

Body Mass Index [BMI]

NSW Government Health: BMI calculator

Australian Government Department of Health: About Overweight and Obesity
Specific information on overweight and obesity is provided, including: prevalence of overweight and obesity; how overweight and obesity is defined; calculate your BMI (for adults only); causes of overweight and obesity; health consequences; economic consequences.

Overweight and obesity
Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council: Overweight and obesity are conditions of excess body fat that cause significant burdens of ill health, economic costs and mortality to the Australian community. NHMRC has invested over $68.9 million for research relating to overweight and obesity from 2000 to 2007.

Tax on Junk Food

Wikipedia - "Fat Tax" article
Examines the effects of taxing foods that are high in saturated fats and looks at the history of such a tax.

Better Health Channel - "Food to have sometimes" article
Defines and identifies junk food (or 'food to have sometimes' as well as touching upon the problems caused by excess consumption

Australian Medical Association - "Australia needs a tax on junk food" article
A short article published in October 2010 containing arguments that support the contention that there should be a ban on junk food.

Better Health Channel - "Eating tips for teenagers" article
This article looks at ways that teenagers can improve their diet, eat healthy meals and snacks and maintain a healthy weight

Better Health Chanel: obesity in children - causes
Discusses the causes of obesity in children, which include unhealthy food choices, lack of physical activity and family eating habits.

Lateline - 19/10/2011: Junk food expert predicts regulation
Yale Universitys Professor Kelly Brownell predicts that mounting evidence of the addictive properties of junk food will result in governments adopting aggressive regulations against manufacturers 19 Oct 2011

Documentary on you tube 'Fault lines : fast food, fat profits : obesity in America' 25 min (Al Jazera) About food culture in the US, difficulty of poor people accessing healthy, affordable food and health care.

US fox news junk food tax criticism rant (3 min) A good demonstration of the deeply visceral resistance to govt. ‘control’ in that country.

Jamie Oliver re sugary drinks - TEDTalk