Australia Adopts Glycemic Index Label 29806

Australia Adopts Glycemic Index Label

SYDNEY--On July 2, the Glycemic Index Symbol Program officiallylaunched a glycemic index rating logo to be used by Australian foodmanufacturers. The program (www.gisymbol.com),which was formed by the University of Sydney, Diabetes Australia and theJuvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, currently has one manufacturer using thesymbol, but there are other proposals being considered from a broad range offood manufacturers. The symbol will let shoppers know if a food product, afterbeing tested in an accredited laboratory, tests low, medium or high ontheglycemic index.

The glycemic index is a ranking of how carbohydrates affect blood glucoselevels after eating. If a food's carbohydrates break down slowly, it isconsidered to have a low glycemic index, which makes the food easier to beburned and less likely to be stored as fat. Low glycemic index foods helpdiabetics manage glucose levels and others lose weight and lower cholesterol.Foods with carbohydrates that break down quickly have the highest glycemic indexand are used to re-fuel carbohydrate stores after exercise.

The only company currently licensed to use the symbol on five of its productsis Wild About Fruit (WAF), a juice manufacturer. "Any manufacturer cansimply put the words low, medium or high glycemic index on their packagingwithout having to license their product through the symbol program," saidBen Mould, WAF managing director. "However, the important difference isthat the glycemic index symbol is monitored by credible organizations andreflects that the product has been tested by a reliable methodology as used bythe University of Sydney."

The director of the program, Jennie Brand-Miller, Ph.D., and a professor ofhuman nutrition at the university, stated that by developing and launching thissymbol, it promotes the growing evidence that monitor the glycemic index in aperson's diet benefits health and well-being. "A lower overall glycemicindex for the diet appears to have benefits for weight management andcardiovascular health," she said. "In an age of increasing obesity andrising diabetes rates, using the glycemic index in food choice can make a vitalcontribution to better public health overall."