3 in 5 don't know who to trust for nutrition advice

At a time when healthy eating resolutions are in full swing, a new VicHealth survey shows 3 in 5 Australians don’t know who to trust when it comes to nutrition advice.

The survey of 2,000 Australian adults also revealed that in the supermarket, 1 in 2 people struggle to know if something is healthy or not.

VicHealth Executive Manager Health Promotion Systems Michelle Murray

said with claims like “low sugar”, "no artificial colours or flavours" and "natural" splashed across food labels, it’s hard to know what products are genuinely healthy.

“Supermarket aisles are battlefields of bright packaging and bold health claims. Each of the 30,000 supermarket products is vying for the attention of shoppers. It’s no wonder most people are confused about nutrition information,” Ms Murray said.

Introduced in 2014, the voluntary Health Star Rating system was designed to help shoppers cut through marketing spin and compare the healthiness of packaged supermarket foods at a glance.

Disappointingly, 2 in 3 packaged products don’t display health stars1, and some food companies use it as a marketing tool by only putting them on higher-rating items.  

“Our research shows that Australians find health stars helpful in deciding what packaged products are healthier, but food companies are dragging their feet. After 10 years just 36% of products carry health stars, which is well short of the 60% target set by governments,” Ms Murray said.

VicHealth’s survey found that among Australians who use the health stars, almost 3 in 4 believe that when it's included on labels they help understand which packaged products are healthier. Among those who always use health stars, almost 9 in 10 find it useful for knowing which foods are healthier.

In December, concerning data released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) revealed that being overweight or obese has overtaken tobacco smoking as the leading risk factor contributing to disease burden.  

“It’s time for governments to make the health stars mandatory. While we all need to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, we also need to equip Australians with the clear, accessible information they need to make healthier decisions when buying packaged products,” Ms Murray said.  

“A mandatory Health Star Rating system is a simple but effective way to improve the diets and long-term health of our nation.”\

Melbourne parent Erin MacLatchy says the Health Star Rating system helps her and her family cut through marketing spin to determine which foods are healthier than others.

"It can be difficult and confusing to know what foods are healthy with so many health claims and lots of information on the packet. That's why Health Star Ratings are so helpful"

I use the Health Star Ratings to help me choose between products, but it would be even easier if they were on all our packaged foods." Ms MacLatchy said. 

About the survey:

In November 2024, VicHealth surveyed 2,000 Australians aged 18-65 who are the main or joint grocery buyer for the household. The online survey explored grocery buying attitudes and behaviours. 

Note to editor: Radio news grabs of VicHealth Acting CEO Michelle Murray are available to download here