Australian Medical Association President Dr Michael Gannon says consumers need to take responsibility for their eating choices.

In his first address to the National Press Club in Canberra, Australian Medical Association president Michael Gannon said tackling obesity wasn’t as simple as a sugar tax.

Junk food retailers aren’t solely to blame for Australia’s obesity epidemic, the AMA chief says.Source:AAP

“Too often … we hear about the demonisation of Coca-Cola, the demonisation of McDonald’s, when people make bad decisions about food they put in their mouth every day,” he said.

“The food that they buy from supermarkets, the fact that we eat so much processed foods.

“The reason that processed foods taste good is because they are full of sugar, salt and trans-fats.

“It’s also the reason airline food tastes so good.”

The AMA chief says a sugar tax alone will not fix Australia’s obesity crisis.Source:Supplied

Dr Gannon said while the AMA supported a sugar tax it should be part of a broad range of initiatives.

He said on its own it would not “fix the problem”.

Dr Gannon said more than 11 million Australians were overweight or obese but a “whole-of-society” approach was the key to addressing the issue.

Dr Gannon listed prevention of chronic conditions among the AMA’s top health priorities.

He also reiterated calls for the Turnbull Government not to use health cuts as a budget savings measure.

“The Government must start to look at health as a genuine investment, not just a cost,” he said.