George Christensen has accused the National Health and Medical Research Concil of demonising sugar after the peak medical research body released a new food guidelines draft that tells Australians to ‘limit’ their sugar intake
Christensen, who represents the biggest sugar growing region in Australia, has questioned the validity of the research in the report and accused the NHMRC of using ‘flimsy’ evidence, The Herald Sun Reports.
In a speech to federal parliament, Christensen questioned the process of testing the drafting guidelines saying, “the NHMRC conducted a systemic literature review’ and claimed ‘the only papers supporting the proposed changes were all weak enough arguments to receive the lowest grade (D).”
Christensen says the Diabetes Council of Australia and the Dieticians Association have both made statements that make it clear it is simplistic to blame sugar for diabetes or obesity problems.
“Since the 1980s sugar consumptions rates have dropped 23 per cent but diabetes has doubled and obesity has tripled,” he said.
Christensen fears the new guidelines could be used by Food Standards Australia & New Zealand to set standards for Australian food.
“What will happen to the taste of Tim Tams in Australia if regulations force the sugar content to halve?”
The sugar and fat content in food has long been a contentious issue in Australia with many calling for a ‘fat tax’ to be imposed on foods with high levels of sugar and saturated fats.
As Food Magazine reported earlier this year, over 11 per cent, or just over two million people, will have diabetes in Australia by 2025, if current trends continue.
Many believe a tax on unhealthy food will allow people to make healthy choices without it hitting their back pocket.