Leading pediatric nutritionist exposes food Health Star Rating system
Pediatric nutritionist Mandy Sacher said foods advertised as healthy and marketed to children with a 4-star health rating or higher actually have ingredients linked to ADHD, gut damage, cancer and addictive eating.
Under current HSR rules, products can receive high star ratings for adding isolated protein or synthetic fibre, regardless of overall ingredient quality or processing level, and there is no penalty for the presence of artificial additives, refined starches or emulsifiers.
Ms Sacher said the public is 'flying blind' when it comes to deciding how to pick between so-called healthy foods.
'In my view, the Health Star Rating (HSR) is a ticking public health time bomb – it could one day be seen as the asbestos scandal of our food system,' she told news.com.au.
'It's misleading Australian families, especially parents, by giving ultra-processed foods a health halo.
'Products full of additives, synthetic fibres, emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners and industrial seed oils are scoring 4 or 5 stars, yet emerging evidence links these ingredients to ADHD, gut damage, insulin resistance, anxiety, depression and even cancer.'
The pediatric nutritionist said these ingredients and additives are often found in many popular muesli bar products, including those which are rated three, four and five stars under the system.
'The system completely ignores the internationally recognised NOVA scale, which classifies foods based on their level of processing,' Ms Sacher said.
'These ultra-processed snacks are engineered to override satiety and promote over consumption, yet they're being marketed to kids with government endorsement.
'Parents trust the stars. But often, the higher the rating, the more processed the product.
'That's not just confusing – it's dangerous.'
She said only 32 per cent of products carry the HSR rating.
'Even the government's own 2019 review flagged serious flaws: no independent watchdog, no penalties for additives, and no consistency,' she aid.
'Six years later, nothing has changed.'
When asked whether the problem lies in how the rating is calculated, or how it's communicated, Ms Sacher simply replied: 'Both.'
'The HSR scores food based only on nutrients like sugar, salt and added fibre, but it ignores how processed the food is, and what it's made from,' she said.
'Stars appear on the front of packs as a government-endorsed health symbol.
Parents assume a 4-star snack is a good choice – but those stars can be manipulated by adding synthetic fibre or lab-made vitamins, even if the product is ultra-processed.
'Food tech is advancing rapidly, but the HSR hasn't been updated in over a decade, since 2014 and it doesn't account for processing, it doesn't penalise additives.
'It allows snacks made in labs to appear 'healthy' based on technical nutrient scores.'
Ms Sacher believes the system rewards 'nutrient manipulation, not food integrity', with a rising number of illnesses, such as hypertension, anxiety and depression, fatty liver, and type two diabetes appearing in young children.
'These foods may disrupt gut health, hijack appetite, impair mood, and promote inflammation,' she said.
'In my opinion, if we keep rewarding fake food and penalising real food, we're not just misleading consumers – we're fuelling a preventable health crisis.
'(The HSR System) needs a full reset. If 100 per cent walnuts can't get 5 stars, but kids' lollies can, we need to admit the system is broken.'
The HSR system assigns packaged foods and beverages a rating based on the overall nutritional value of the product, a Department of Health, Disability and Ageing spokesperson told news.com.au.
'The system is designed to provide shoppers a quick, easy, and standardised way to compare similar packaged foods. The more stars, the healthier the choice,' the spokesperson said.
'For example, you can compare the HSR of a yoghurt to another yoghurt, but you should not compare the HSR of a yoghurt to a bag of chips.
'The number of stars a packaged food or beverage product displays is determined by using a strict algorithm called the HSR Calculator … developed in consultation with Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and other technical and nutrition experts.'
The spokesperson said the Calculator balances positive nutrients with nutrients associated with risk factors for chronic disease, with the HSR for most products based on: total energy (kilojoules), saturated fat, sodium (salt) and total sugar content.
'Consuming too much of these is linked to overweight and obesity, some cancers, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
'A high HSR does not mean that the food or beverage provides all of the essential nutrients that are required for a balanced and healthy diet or that the product should be eaten in large quantities, or often,' the spokesperson said.
'The HSR system does not take into consideration other real, claimed or potential health effects of particular ingredients, additives, products or processing methods,' they said.
'Neither does it consider other important nutrients.
'In Australia, food additives are approved only if it can be shown no harmful effects are likely to result from their use.'
A spokesperson for Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) said any additives must undergo a safety assessment before being permitted for use in food sold.
'Standard 1.3.1 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code governs the use of food additives, such as preservatives, colours and emulsifiers,' they told news.com.au.
'These additives must comply with the safety limits specified in Schedule 15 and be clearly labelled on food products to enable consumers to make informed purchases.
'Schedule 15 also details which additives are permitted, the types of food they can be used in, and the maximum amounts allowed to ensure safe and appropriate use across different food categories.'
While the body is responsible for the development and maintenance the Code, which sets out the requirements for food produced or imported for sale to ensure a safe food supply for consumers, it does not enforce them.
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