Australia Promotes Low Carb Consumer Awareness

MELBOURNE, Australia--On March 15, an Australian health minister unveiled a new campaign to raise consumer awareness about the potential dangers of high-protein and other fad diets. The government in Victoria plans to distribute educational materials in doctors waiting rooms, gyms and universities. The Australian Medical Association (AMA) announced it supported the governments actions and hoped the countrys other states will follow. In the United States, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) is urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to follow Australias lead and also issue a warning about the dangers of high fat, low carbohydrate diets.

In an interview with Australias The World Today, Victoria Health Minister Bronwyn Pike reported she was concerned about the popularity of low carb diets, particularly in the case of young women who may be very attracted by fad diets. [T]here's not a lot of good public information about the long-term impact of these diets on people's health, so I want to get posters and pamphlets into doctors [offices], university gyms and other places where people might be interested in finding out about what works and what doesn't work when they want to lose weight, Pike said in the interview (www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2004/s1066361.htm).

Pike said the reported 32 million Americans estimated to be using low carbs diets led to her decision. So, as health minister, it is important to get information out about smoking and other lifestyle issues [and] this is a big one, she said. Anything that has a long-term impact on people's health finds its way eventually into our hospital system. Maybe not now, but in years to come. [I]f we can stop people from getting involved in these kind of fad diets--which not only can have physical health risks, but are quite damaging to people's mental health--then that's a good policy for the health expenditure into the future.

PCRM sent a letter to HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson on March 19 reiterating the possible risks of high protein diets and recommended the United States follow Australia's lead. "We commend the Australian health minister in Victoria for warning its citizens of the dangers of high fat, low carb diets, and urge Tommy Thompson to do the same," wrote Amy Joy Lanou, Ph.D., PCRM's nutrition director, in the letter (www.pcrm.org/news/issues040319_letter.html).

AMA President Bill Glasson, M.D., stated in a March 16 interview (www.ama.com.au/web.nsf/doc/WEEN-5X5UH9) that consumers need to be made aware of the importance of incorporating exercise and a well-balanced diet into a healthy lifestyle. [I]ts all about education not legislation, and it's all about getting a balance in your diet, Glasson said.