Aimee Brownbill

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption, correlates and interventions among Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: a scoping review

Publisher: BMJ

Date: 02-2019

DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2018-023630

Abstract: Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption in Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is reported to be disproportionally high compared with the general Australian population. This review aimed to scope the literature documenting SSB consumption and interventions to reduce SSB consumption among Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Findings will inform strategies to address SSB consumption in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. PubMed, SCOPUS, CINAHL, Informit, Joanna Briggs Institute EBP, Mura databases and grey literature were searched for articles published between January 1980 and June 2018. Studies were included if providing data specific to an Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander population’s SSB consumption or an intervention that focused on reducing SSB consumption in this population. Systematic scoping review. 59 articles were included (1846 screened). While reported SSB consumption was high, there were age-related and community-related differences observed in some studies. Most studies were conducted in remote or rural settings. Implementation of nutrition interventions that included an SSB component has built progressively in remote communities since the 1980s with a growing focus on community-driven, culturally sensitive approaches. More recent studies have focused exclusively on SSB consumption. Key SSB-related intervention elements included incentivising healthier options reducing availability of less-healthy options nutrition education multifaceted or policy implementation (store nutrition or government policy). There was a relatively large number of studies reporting data on SSB consumption and/or sales, predominantly from remote and rural settings. During analysis it was subjectively clear that the more impactful studies were those which were community driven or involved extensive community consultation and collaboration. Extracting additional SSB-specific consumption data from an existing nationally representative survey of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people could provide detailed information for demographic subgroups and benchmarks for future interventions. It is recommended that a consistent, culturally appropriate, set of consumption measures be developed.

Health Star Ratings: What's on the labels of Australian beverages?

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 19-09-2018

DOI: 10.1002/HPJA.197

Abstract: The Health Star Rating (HSR) System provides a useful tool to communicate health and nutrition messages to consumers. Given the large contribution from sugar-containing beverages to sugar intake in the Australian diet and the adverse health outcomes associated with frequent consumption, it is important to investigate how the HSR System is displayed on beverages. Our research measured and compared the presence of the HSR System on the labels of sugar-containing and sugar-free beverages in Australia. We conducted a survey of the labels on 762 ready-to-drink (≤600 mL) nondairy/nonalcoholic beverages, s led from 17 South Australian supermarkets in late 2016. We measured the presence of a star rating icon or an energy-only icon (which is an option of the HSR System for beverages). The HSR System was observed on 35.3% of beverages, with only 6.8% displaying a star rating icon and 28.5% displaying an energy-only icon. When present (n = 52), star rating icons were almost universally 5 stars (94.2%), and of these, they were predominantly displayed on 100% juices (85.7%). Almost all beverages with a star rating contained high amounts of sugar only three sugar-free beverages displayed a star rating. We found that there are low uptake and limited use of the HSR System on beverages. SO WHAT?: The HSR System on beverages could better achieve its objectives if the energy-only icon were removed from the graphic options, the algorithm were adjusted so that 100% juices cannot display a 5-star rating, and the System were made mandatory.

Protecting our children from obesity: challenges and opportunities

Publisher: AMPCo

Date: 09-2018

DOI: 10.5694/MJA18.00695

Industry use of ‘better-for-you’ features on labels of sugar-containing beverages

Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)

Date: 10-10-2018

DOI: 10.1017/S1368980018002392

Abstract: To examine the ways in which sugar-containing beverages are being portrayed as ‘better-for-you’ (BFY) via features on product labels. Cross-sectional audit of beverage labels. Adelaide, Australia. Data on beverage labels were collected from seventeen grocery stores during September to November 2016. The content of 945 sugar-containing beverages labels were analysed for explicit and implicit features positioning them as healthy or BFY. The mean sugar content of beverages was high at 8·3 g/100 ml and most sugar-containing beverages (87·7 %) displayed features that position them as BFY. This was most commonly achieved by indicating the beverages are natural (76·8 %), or contain reduced or natural energy/sugar content (48·4 %), or through suggesting that they contribute to meeting bodily needs for nutrition (28·9 %) or health (15·1 %). Features positioning beverages as BFY were more common among certain categories of beverages, namely coconut waters, iced teas, sports drinks and juices. A large proportion of sugar-containing beverages use features on labels that position them as healthy or BFY despite containing high amounts of sugar.

Presenting a strong and united front to tobacco industry interference : a content analysis of Australian newspaper coverage of tobacco plain packaging 2008–2014

Publisher: BMJ

Date: 09-2018

DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2018-023485

Abstract: In 2012, Australia was the first country in the world to introduce plain or standardised tobacco packaging, coupled with larger graphic health warnings. This policy was fiercely opposed by industry. Media coverage can be an influential contributor to public debate, and both public health advocates and industry sought media coverage for their positions. The aim of this study was to measure the print media coverage of Australian’s plain packaging laws, from inception to roll-out, in major Australian newspapers. This study monitored mainstream Australian print media (17 newspapers) coverage of the plain packaging policy debate and implementation, over a 7-year period from January 2008 to December 2014. Articles (n=701) were coded for article type, opinion slant and topic(s). Content analysis. Coverage of plain packaging was low during preimplementation phase (2008–2009), increasing sharply in the lead into legislative processes and diminished substantially after implementation. Articles covered policy rationale, policy progress and industry arguments. Of the news articles, 96% were neutrally framed. Of the editorials, 55% were supportive, 28% were opposing, 12% were neutral and 5% were mixed. Protracted political debate, reflected in the media, led to an implementation delay of plain packaging. While Australian media provided comprehensive coverage of industry arguments, news coverage was largely neutral, whereas editorials were mostly supportive or neutral of the policy. Countries seeking to implement plain packaging of tobacco should not be deterred by the volume of news coverage, but should actively promote the evidence for plain packaging in the media to counteract the arguments of the tobacco industry.

Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, correlates and interventions among Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: A scoping review protocol

Publisher: BMJ

Date: 07-2017

DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2017-016431

The Australian NHMRC guidelines for alcohol consumption and their portrayal in the print media: a content analysis of Australian newspapers

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 02-2017

DOI: 10.1111/1753-6405.12758

Abstract: To measure and characterise unpaid coverage in the Australian print media of the 2001, 2007 and 2009 National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol. A total of 172 articles published in Australian newspapers between 1999 and 2014 were content analysed using a coding framework aimed to define the article descriptors, article prominence, content, slant and guidelines. The majority (62.2%) of articles were published between 2007 and 2009, the predominant topic being 'the National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines" with less than two-thirds (59.2%) of the articles mentioning the specific guidelines for reducing alcohol-related harm. There was low unpaid print newspaper coverage of the guidelines, which may contribute to low community knowledge of the guidelines. Implications for public health: This study provides a foundation for developing further studies and highlights the need to improve awareness of the guidelines.

Health-related marketing messages on product labels of commercial infant and toddler food packaging in Australia: a cross-sectional audit

Publisher: BMJ

Date: 12-2021

DOI: 10.1136/BMJPO-2021-001241

Abstract: Proper nutrition in early childhood is essential to ensure optimal growth and development. Use of ‘better-for-you’ features on food packaging position products as healthier for children. This study aims to systematically explore the use of better-for-you labelling on infant and toddler food packaging. A cross-sectional audit of health and nutrition claims, text and images used as ‘better-for-you’ features present on infant and toddler food packaging. Data on infant and toddler food packaging were collected from five large grocery stores in Adelaide, Australia in 2019. The content of 282 unique commercial products (n=215 infant foods, n=67 toddler foods) were analysed for explicit and implicit features positioning them as better-for-you, including health and nutrition claims as well as text and images representing ‘natural.’ At least one feature of better-for-you positioning was identified on all food packaging coded. All products had characteristics coded as ‘natural’. Almost one-fifth (17%) of the products included statements in addition to mandatory allergen labelling that their products were ‘free from’ certain allergens, or gluten. One-third of the labels had statements related to enhancing development of taste, oro-motor skills and other aspects of childhood development. Of the fruit and vegetable-based infant foods displaying a sugar statement suggesting a low sugar content, 85% were sweetened with fruit puree. The use of better-for-you features on infant and toddler food packaging is common and pervasive. Allergen-free and developmental claims are being used to position infant and toddler foods as better-for-you. Regulation of toddler food products separately from adult food is required, as is tighter regulation of the appropriate use of sugar and fruit puree statements on infant and toddler food packaging.

The marketing of sugar‐sweetened beverages to young people on Facebook

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 08-2018

DOI: 10.1111/1753-6405.12801

Abstract: We explored how sugar-sweetened beverages are marketed to Australian young people through sugar-sweetened beverage brand Facebook pages. We undertook a content analysis of Facebook posts made by six of the most popular sugar-sweetened beverage Facebook pages in Australia. Data were collected for a six-month period and were quantitatively analysed for descriptive data and explicit marketing techniques and then thematically analysed for implicit marketing messages. There were almost 1.9 million engagements across the six pages over the six-month period. Most posts (70%) included one or more calls to action through which followers were encouraged to do something. Content by sports and energy drink brands were heavily dominated by 'sporting prowess' and 'masculinity' themes while content by Coca-Cola shared the message of 'having fun with friends' and 'happiness'. All pages used outdoor setting scenes. Sugar-sweetened beverage brands use Facebook to align their marketing with the socio-cultural values and practices likely to be regarded as important by young people. Implications for public health: Our findings provide challenges and opportunities for those in public health advocacy and policy to consider for future obesity-reduction strategies.

University Of Adelaide

Location: Australia

View Organisation

Foundation For Alcohol Research And Education

Location: Australia

View Organisation

South Australian Health And Medical Research Institute

Location: Australia

View Organisation

Early Career Industry Fellowships - Grant ID: IE230100647

Start Date: 07-2023

End Date: 06-2025

Amount: $358,175.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP190101051

Start Date: 06-2021

End Date: 06-2024

Amount: $265,949.00

Funder: Australian Research Council