University of Canberra: Healthy Diet and Sugary Drinks Report

This report analyzes the issue of sugary drinks and the promotion of healthy diets, focusing on the Queensland Hospitals and the Australian Medical Association (AMA). It examines the background of the issue, identifying key stakeholders such as the State Government, health facilities, and schools. The report explores the AMA's role, including their policy statements, SWOT analysis, and prioritization assessment of the issue. It also delves into the World Health Organization's (WHO) perspective, discussing risk communication, trust determination theory, and the use of social media. Finally, the report provides an overview of media releases related to the issue, analyzing the language and tone used. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of healthy eating habits and the need to prevent the marketing of sugary drinks, particularly for children, while also considering the balance between public health and personal freedoms.

A Step Towards Healthy Diet 0
Title: A Step towards Healthy Diet
Assignment Name:
Student Name:
Professor:
Date:

A Step Towards Healthy Diet 1
Executive Summary
The report summarizes an introduction on the Queensland Hospitals and Australian
Medical Association-How they are banning the sweet drinks and promoting a healthy diet. The
Tutorial Worksheet one has identified the categories of people and sources which are actively
promoting the issue. The Tutorial Worksheet two identifies the Australian Medical Association
as the primary source for promoting the banning of soft drinks. The Tutorial Worksheet three is
based on the World Health organization that promotes how the food fortification programs are
being launched with the help of volunteer bodies. The Tutorial Worksheet four provides a list of
media releases and articles which are actively supporting the cause and followed by a
conclusion.

A Step Towards Healthy Diet 2
Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Tutorial Worksheet ONE.................................................................................................................3
Tutorial Worksheet TWO................................................................................................................6
Tutorial Worksheet THREE............................................................................................................8
Tutorial Worksheet FOUR............................................................................................................10
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................12
References......................................................................................................................................13

A Step Towards Healthy Diet 3
Introduction
The present consumption of discretionary meals and decreasing levels of physical activity
has put masses and the community's health at risk. Beverages and food can make a person gain
excess weight over a given period of time. The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has been
emphasizing the significance of consuming healthy food items for energy needs.
Tutorial Worksheet ONE
1. The background of the issue
Junk Food promotions around schools and kids and public transportation hubs
will be eradicated and this has to be done as a radical refurbishment done through the
state Government (Gray, Dent and McDonald, 2012). There are few Queensland hospitals
that have been enforcing sugar bans on the different vending machine. The state
government has introduced new guidelines that will be creating a uniform approach
across the state.
2. A list of categories of people who might be interested in this issue
The categories of people who are interested in the ban on vending machines include-
1. The State Government
2. Health Minister
3. Public Health Facilities
4. Hospitals and different eateries.
5. Public schools
6. Community recreation venues

A Step Towards Healthy Diet 4
7. Various government-owned facilities (Cox et al., 2019).
3. Why the people on your list be interested in this issue?
The people on the list have determined the exact threshold of what will be
considered as unhealthy. Different hospitals and eateries are given primary importance in
the firing line. The significance of the above problem is to prevent the marketing of
sugary drinks, especially for the kids (Kendall-Raynor, 2016). The changes taking place
will ensure that the food industry in Australia has been subjected to concrete guidelines.
The government needs to lower the sale of sugary drinks to compete with obesity.
4. From your list, who are directly affected by the issue? Who is indirectly affected but
may influence the first group? Which group is not affected at all but could influence
the first group?
Public health facilities and different eateries and community recreation facilities are directly
affected by the issue. Public Schools are indirectly affected by the issue. Various governments
owned facilities are not affected at all but it has a direct impact on the first group (Berning and
McCullough, 2013).
5. A list of 5 organizations or corporations that would be interested in this issue.
1. Queensland Hospitals
2. Australian Beverage Industry
3. Queensland Schools
4. Australian Medical Association
5. World Health Organisation
6. How issue life cycle theory might apply to this case study?

A Step Towards Healthy Diet 5
According to WHO-World Health Organization, sugary drinks have a similar
effect on the body as tobacco has. A can of sugary drinks comprises of ten teaspoons of
sugar and this is more than the optimum intake of water. However, there is no percentage
of nutritional value in energy drinks and so-called soft drinks. Price signal has been
designed in a way which can discourage the behavior as this is the leading cause behind
type-2 diabetes and obesity (Viner, 2018). However, obesity rates are growing within
double numbers. According to a percentage increase from 10 percent to 28 percent in
obesity, patients has led to an increase in expenditure. From then, the sugary drinks have
shown a decrease in their sales and that is up to 8 percent. Poorer communities are known
to be the biggest consumers of sugary drinks, but in the latest trend, there has been a
higher fall in consumption patterns.
Tutorial Worksheet TWO
Write the name of that organization here:
Australian Medical Association
Answer the following questions:
1. Identify at least three sources of information through which the organization could
track the issue. Provide links or references to this information.
i. The position Statement issued by AMA-Reducing the harms which are associated with
the drinking of soda cans
ii. AMA as a policy-making body
iii. Doctors and physician sources (Kakumanu, 2015)

A Step Towards Healthy Diet 6
2. Has the organization already spoken publicly about the issue?
The Australian Medical Association has been working on the improvisation of nutrition and
Australian eating habits. This is the first priority of different levels of government. The AMA is
considering different measures which are made available to the doctors to provide improved
nutrition. This ranges from enhanced nutrition education and literacy programs. The AMA
influences price signals to influence the restrictions and consumption in the beverage and food
industry (Davies, 2013). The Australian Medical Association has issued various dietary
guidelines and those are reflecting the contemporary evidence which will be reviewed on a
regular basis. Nutrition is one of the important aspects which can have a strong impetus on the
gaps. The AMA has been primarily focusing on healthier eating habits and changing attitudes of
people towards food and helping infants to develop in their childhood. Besides, from providing
nutrition and support, resources have been provided into caregivers. Schools and child care
facilities must aim at reinforcing the concrete messages about the healthy eating process. The
marketing and advertising of unhygienic foods, as well as beverages, can influence the children
and preferences must be prohibited (O'Dowd, 2018).
Nutrition facilities must be changed over time. Good nutrition is considered a significant
aspect and health care practitioners should encourage the parents. All care facilities must provide
nutritious food for the prevention of malnutrition. The AMA will be supporting the
implementation and development of nutrition standards for infants and aged people. The AMA is
focused towards improving the health of staff, visitors and patients and providing with healthy
meals which are low in added sugars and fat and completely banning the soda can beverages
(Hawkes, 2018).

A Step Towards Healthy Diet 7
3. Conduct a simple SWOT analysis for your chosen organization in relation to the
issue
Strengths
1. Creating a policy statement
2. Providing low-fat foods
Weaknesses
1. High Malnutrition rate
2. Requiring a large number of
volunteers
Opportunities
1. Educating people
2. Supporting infants and aged
people
Threats
1. Vending machines companies
2. Taking the confidence of medical
practitioners.
4. Conduct a prioritization assessment of the issue, assigning numerical values against
key criteria (page 64 of the unit textbook. Write a summary paragraph which
explains your thinking behind the assessment. What additional information do you
need in order to complete the assessment properly?
Category Value
Impact 15/20
Salience/legitimacy 18/20

A Step Towards Healthy Diet 8
Visibility 16/20
Affectability/leverage 18/20
Proximity/timing 7/10
Profile 8/10
Total 82 /100
Summary
In order to improvise the health of infants and different patients, hospitals and various
other care facilities must provide access to healthy food items and meals which are low in fat.
Vending machines must be removed from different health care facilities (Boncinelli et al., 2016).
Tutorial Worksheet THREE
Write the organizations name below:
World Health Organization
Answer the following questions:
1. Actions such as banning sugary drinks for sale can be criticized as removing
personal freedoms and creating a ‘nanny state' which are regulating personal choices. Is

A Step Towards Healthy Diet 9
the soft drink in healthcare settings really about risk or personal choices? What position
would your nominated organization take? Explain below.
The World Health Organization (WHO) experts have been well placed in the
identification and supporting the patients to improve their nutritional goals. The practitioners are
not harming personal freedoms. The WHO aims at eliminating the risk factors and supporting
nutrition education to different age groups. Allied health practitioners are working with the vast
number of medical practitioners that can provide extra support and suggest patients about recent
eating habits and nutrition goals (Banava, 2016).
2. When communicating about issues, one of the ‘seven cardinal rules' of risk communication
is to coordinate and collaborate with other credible sources. For your nominated
organization, identify at least one person/organization which could act as a credible source
in this issue. Explain why you have chosen that source.
Doctors and physicians are the credible sources that can coordinate and collaborate with
other sources and educate patients and about the low nutritional value present in the soda cans.
Water must be promoted and taken as the default beverage option. A continuous uptake of
packaged foods as well as beverages are considered as evidence. Doctors and physicians can
explain the patients and children that the system can be changed. Doctors encourage the food
industry to act in a socially responsible way and provide realistic promotion and marketing
services to citizens of the country (Jaques, 2013).
3. Use the trust determination theory to explain how the organization should
communicate about this issue.

A Step Towards Healthy Diet 10
The Trust Determination theory propagates increasing the knowledge base and information
to the patients and people who are addicted to having soda cans. The WHO- World Health
Organization propagates information on the micronutrients that are present in the soda cans and
how they are harming the body. The WHO-World Health Organization uses the trust
determination theory and provides continuous investment and research for evidence-based
programs and responses to the insecurity of food. Financial support has been extended,
especially to local community responses like cooking programs, community gardens and food
banks (Malhotra, 2013).
4. Social media can significantly impact the way an issue is discussed/received. Social
media relies on authentic peer communication and opinion. Discuss how your nominated
organization could engage with people about this issue in a genuine way.
The World Health Organization (WHO) experts are working with local councils and
developers to reduce the salt nutritional content in the beverages. This is a matter of priority. It is
important that fresh and minimally processed meals like vegetables and fruits must be made
affordable to all. The World Health Organization is launching the food fortification programs
that will be advantageous to the public. The World Health Organization is monitoring the
emerging deficiencies and providing the wealth of information to patients (James, 2018).
Tutorial Worksheet FOUR
Write the organization’s name below:

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Queensland Hospitals
Answer the following questions:
1. Do a search for media releases related to the issue. You might search for media
releases written by your organization, or other organizations’ interested in the issue.
List at least two of the media releases you found here (with links):
i. Queensland hospitals have heeded the call of AMA (Australian Medical Association and
has banned the soda cans and sugar-sweetened drinks.
Link- https://ama.com.au/ausmed/queensland-hospitals-ban-sugary-drinks-and-junk-food
ii. Sugary drinks and junk food will be banned at Queensland Hospitals due to increasing
obesity and various diseases in patients.
Link- https://healthtimes.com.au/hub/nutrition-and-hydration/42/news/aap/junk-food-
and-sugary-drinks-will-be-banned-at-queensland-public-hospitals/3531/
2. For both media releases, outline;
a. What language is used when talking about the issue?
The language is public-centered while encouraging the masses and communities to stop
using sugary drinks and junk food. The issue is best highlighted in the social media releases
and patients have been provided a wealth of information on junk food and obesity (Alsubaie,
2017).
b. What was the overall tone of the media release (was it positive, negative or
neutral)?