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Wednesday June 19, 2013

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Rethink your sugary drink?

Posted by: 2UE | 17 January, 2013 - 8:29 AM
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Leading health groups have joined forces in a bid to stop people drinking too much soft drink. The ad campaign called 'Rethink Sugary Drink' encourages Australians to switch to water and change to reduced-fat milk.


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Along with the launch of a new TV campaign to warn of the dangers of sugary beverages, they've also proposed a tax on drinks with high sugar levels.

The TV ad, borrowed from a similar New York campaign, is part of a call to action by the Cancer Council, Diabetes Australia and the National Heart Foundation to stem obesity rates.

They have called for a government tax on sugary drinks and asked schools and non-government organisations to limit their sale and availability.

Sugary drinks including energy, fruit and sports drinks can cause weight gain and obesity, which are risk factors for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, the groups say.

In additions to taxes, the group also recommends restricting the sale and marketing of sugary drinks to children at schools and limiting their availability in workplaces and public places.

SUGARY DRINKS AND THE HEALTH CAMPAIGN OVER THEIR AVAILABILITY:

Sugary drinks:

A 600ml sugar-sweetened soft drink contains 16 packs of sugar

One soft drink can per day could lead to a 6.75kg weight gain in one year

In the 12 months to October 2012, Australians bought 1.28 billion litres of drinks with sugar, with regular cola drinks most popular (447 million litres)

Half (47 pct) of children (aged two to 16) consumed sugar-sweetened beverages (including energy drinks) daily

A quarter consumed sugary soft drinks daily

One in five Australian secondary schools had vending machines, 49 per cent of which contained sports drinks, and 38 per cent soft drinks

Key recommendations of campaign:

A social marketing campaign, supported by government, to highlight the health impact of soft drinks

Tax to increase price of sugary drinks

Government restrictions to reduce children's marketing exposure to sugary drinks through schools and children's sports

State government restrictions on the sale of sugary drinks in all schools, and encouraging restriction of sugary drinks at children's sports and events

An investigation by state and local governments into reducing availability of sugary drinks in workplaces, government institutions, health care and other public places.

Source: Cancer Council, Diabetes Australia and the National Heart Foundation of Australia.

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Blog comments Your Say

  • Well, I am so thin and for sure I will adopt any sugar-sweetened soft drink, may be it will help me to gain some wait!!!!!

    Dylan Chumleigh Friday 18 January, 2013 - 5:00 PM

  • Rethink sugary drinks:
    There is some oversight about the 'other' ingredients of carbonated refines sugar drinks. There is oversight about phorphoric ACID that softens and dissolves and this is masked by sugar. Not to mention injesting gases into the stomach that do not exist (in contrast) in purte water - H20= hydrogen and oxygen. Therefore the body gets products requiring immediate elimination of unnecessary contaminants. There is the heavy impact on digestive enzymes called to dilute toxic additives and the subsequent load on the liver (filter for our blood). There is the excessive surge of energy followed by a trough, causing mood swings and delayed food cravings. A cure to the consumptions of soft drinks might be to advertise the actual ingredients, explain the commercial reason why they are added and show people the concentrate used for post-mix machines.

    Lucinda Friday 18 January, 2013 - 10:47 AM

  • A Health Campaign Group wanting higher taxes for soft drinks? Are we taking away 'freedom of choice'? Does everyone suffer from obesity due to soft drinks? are we punishing the majority for the minority? We are trying to encourage people to stop drinking alcohol but now we don't want them to drink soft drink either? What about sugar in coffee, tea, cereal...where does it end? and in relation to Schools...they should not be making available anything unhealthy but are they going to check all students who bring their own from home?? Taxing and higher prices is not a solution...just a cop out when you have no ideas and I do hope they don't suggest buying Bottled Water.

    Luke Thursday 17 January, 2013 - 1:22 PM

  • Lets get very bitter JuLia Gillard right onto this sweet case. She will slap together another one of her very convenient "expert committees" and of course, then put a triple carbon dioxide tax on our children's enjoyable medicinal lemonade, that most of us have been happily drinking for 100 years. But thats not all, she will then have our lemonade made and bottled in China, so it will be dearer!! Another job well done JuLia.

    www.abortiontruth.com Thursday 17 January, 2013 - 10:56 AM

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