Smart phone app provides a simple way to identify Good Tucker

The National Rural Health Alliance recently attended the launch of the Uncle Jimmy Thumb’s Up Good Tucker app in Parliament House, with the Hon Ken Wyatt, Minister for Indigenous Health giving the new app the thumbs up.

The Good Tucker app was developed by Uncle Jimmy Thumbs Up!, the University of South Australia and Menzies School of Health Research in partnership with The George Institute, to provide a simple way for people to identify healthier food options available in stores. The app allows you to scan food and beverage barcodes and instantly reveal whether it is a healthy option, should be consumed in moderation, or should be avoided altogether.

CEO of Uncle Jimmy Thumbs Up!, Graham ‘Buzz’ Bidstrup, said there was an overwhelming need for the app. It will not only help consumers but provide valuable advice to store owners who can now more easily display healthier food choices at the front of the store. He said the aim of the app was to reduce chronic health issues later in life by fostering healthy food choices early on.

The app can be downloaded to all smart phones and one of the features is that all the information is stored on the phone so, once downloaded, there is no need for the internet. This is ideal for people living in remote areas.

For more information about the Good Tucker app go to:  http://thumbsup.org.au/good-tucker/

Uncle Jimmy Thumbs Up! is founded on the vision of Uncle Jimmy Little to provide nutrition and healthy lifestyle education to young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to prevent future chronic disease.