Nutrition policy in Australia over the last five decades

This paper reviews the history of Australian Nutrition Policy over the last 50 years with the intent to highlight and examine past successes and failures to help inform current evidence-based nutrition policies and practice. The review outlines the factors and activities leading to the first and only Australian national Food and Nutrition Policy (1992). It describes challenges and strengths around the implementation and evaluation of the policy and the subsequent strategic action plans Eat Well Australia and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nutrition Strategy and Action plan (2000-2010). To illustrate state and territory policy activities, a brief case study is presented of the positive impacts of Eat Well Queensland before disinvestment by the incoming state government in 2012. The review found a major challenge has been lack of an adequately funded, consistent, sustained commitment to implementation of policy actions. Various efforts to develop supportive infrastructure are described, such as the Australian National Preventive Health Agency (2011-2014). Network analysis and studies of barriers and enablers illustrate the power and influence of unhealthy food and drink industries on evidence-based nutrition policy. The review concludes with discussion of current opportunities, noting the need for ongoing political support and good governance, including active management of vested interests. It also highlights the need for investment in nutrition archives in Australia to improve access to historical data and better inform future policy and programmes.