“Aussies Need A Bit Of A Kick Up The Jacksie”: Jamie Oliver On Food Health In Australia

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver was in Sydney on the weekend promoting his vision for better food education in Australia and around the globe.

The 39-year-old urged all Australians to do two things: sign his petition to show support for compulsory practical food education in schools across the world and then share across social media.

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Speaking about the current state of Australian health he said it was unusual that a nation that loved good food so much was so fat.

“Bad health does not suit Australia,” he said. ”I think Australia is the fourth most unhealthy country on the planet – not a great place and a very weird, unusual place for Aussies to be.”

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, three in five Australian adults are overweight, which equated to more than 12 million people.

Meanwhile, one in four Australian children are overweight or obese.

The father-of-four said we should be looking to France for guidance on how to eat, and eat well.

“I think that France is a really legitimate comparison to Australia,” he said. “It a country blessed with amazing food and produce like here. You guys bloody love food you just need a bit of kick up the jacksie really.”

He praised France and Mexico for taxing soft drinks and urged the rest of the globe to do the same.

“Public health is in a bad place,” he said. “If you’re going to whine to me about money then go find the money – taxing carbonated sugary drinks feels like a natural and fair solution, but it’s only the tip of the iceberg.”

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Oliver said he wanted change to happen now.

“I’ll be personally let down and disappointed if two million Aussies don't sign the petition,” he said. “Five other countries have already signed up - I know that if the Aussies go, then the Kiwis will go and the other countries in the G20 summit will go.”

To sign the petition to demand compulsory food education for all children go to
change.org/jamieoliver.

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