The food labelling star health rating system endorsed today by Australia's food regulation ministers has the potential to dramatically improve the nation's food supply as well as helping consumers make healthier choices, said the National Heart Foundation of Australia.

The Heart Foundation has consistently called for a robust, mandatory front-of-pack labelling scheme that help consumers make healthier choices as well as encourage food companies to reformulate their products to make them healthier, for example by cutting salt, saturated fat and sugar and adding healthier ingredients such as fibre.

"While the new system will be voluntary, ministers have made it clear that they will consider a mandatory system if wide-spread uptake is not achieved within two years," said the Heart Foundation's National Cardiovascular Health Director, Dr Rob Grenfell.

"The Heart Foundation has been actively involved in the development of the star health rating scheme and is extremely pleased with today's decision.

"Poor nutrition and obesity are major risk factors for chronic diseases in Australia, especially cardiovascular disease.

"Excessive salt consumption alone accounts for an estimated 6,000 deaths a year in Australia from heart attacks and strokes.

"We have a continuing overweight and obesity crisis that is also crying out for action.

"We are pleased that the star health rating system will be careful monitored and evaluated as time goes on so that it can be improved over time.

"The star system is the result of 18 months of hard work by a project committee led with skill and patience by the secretary of the federal health department, Prof Jane Halton.

"She deserves much credit for bringing three disparate groups together - government, industry and health and consumer organisations - to reach consensus on a new and innovative system.

"We also pay tribute to the CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia, Michael Moore, who has played a key role in the development of the star system," Dr Grenfell said.

Heart Foundation