Forum targets sugary drinks as obesity cause

A forum on sugary drinks will take place in Melbourne today, organised by leading public health experts and community organisations.

According to the organisers, the Rethink Sugary Drink forum “comes amid a recent move by soft drink companies to publicly position themselves as ‘part of the obesity solution’ via expensive advertising and PR spin campaigns”.

Rethink Sugary Drink is a partnership between Cancer Council Australia, Diabetes Australia and Heart Foundation (Victoria) which aims to raise awareness of the amount of sugar in sugar-sweetened beverages and to encourage Australians to reduce their consumption.

“We have reached a point where sugary drinks are considered an everyday staple as opposed to an occasional treat. Promotion by beverage companies through new media and traditional channels is relentless and it’s easier to find a bottle of soft drink than a water tap. We need to change the status quo,” said Craig Sinclair, chair of Cancer Council Australia’s Public Health Committee.

“Improving people’s awareness of the amount of sugar and kilojoules in these drinks is important but it needs to be backed up with good policy. It’s hard to encourage people to drink water if once they venture out of home it’s impossible to find a water tap or a vending machine that isn’t full of sugary drinks.”

The organisers have released a series of policy recommendations to reduce sugary drink consumption, including restrictions on marketing sugary drinks to children and reducing availability in children’s settings such as schools and sports centres, an investigation into tax options and reducing availability in workplaces, government institutions and healthcare settings.

A new TV advertisement for the Rethink Sugary Drink campaign will be launched at the forum. The ad shows a man drinking a can of fat; the campaign organisers say this represents “what will happen if the extra kilojoules consumed through sugar-sweetened drinks are not burnt off”.

The forum will be co-hosted by Cancer Council Victoria, Diabetes Australia, Heart Foundation (Victoria), Nutrition Australia, the Australian Dental Association and the Obesity Policy Coalition. Discussion points will focus on the health impacts of sugary drinks on the population, policy options to reduce consumption and challenges faced by businesses when going sugary drink-free.

Presentations will be shared by leading health experts including Professor Amanda Lee, Professor in Public Health and Nutrition Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and chair NHMRC Dietary Guidelines Working Committee and Jane Martin, executive manager of the Obesity Policy Coalition.