S U G A R , T H E N E W TO B ACCO
Institute. “They may proDietaryy Guidevide a short-term m kick, lines. “This is but in the long term consist ent with they contributee to dustr y’s the ind a range of disea ases view thaat healthy and ultimately prep eating rrequires mature mortalityy.” moderatio on, variIt’s not just that ety and ballance.” soft drinks repreesent a major source off unnecMEANWHILE, THE essary kilojoules, increasADVERTISING o of sugary ing our risk off diabetes, foods continue s. Overheart disease and some weight and ob esity in mas says. “In cancers, Thom children, and the amount nding waistfact, our expan of sugary food children c i k lines may representt a risk continue ti to t eatt and drink, 1 TUB OF as grave as smoking.” are of particular concern to YOGHURT Thomas points out that health professionals as well 200 g sugars in soft drinks are as parents. One area where FOUR absorbed fast, requiring an experts see that a difference TEASPOONS equally fast response in the can be made is in reducing 20 G SUGAR body and putting extra deor stopping TV advertising mands on the pancreas, the of sugary foods and beverjob of which is to regulate ages around children’s proour metabolism. Some studgramming. ies suggest that regularly A recent study by the drinking soft drinks can thin Cancer Council and the your bones, and all soft drinks cause National Heart Foundation of Austooth decay. tralia found that teenage boys who An industry group, the Austral- watched more TV were more likely to ian Food & Grocery Council (AFGC), eat junk food, and were more likely to brushed aside the WHO report. “The be obese. WHO recommendation relates to “We thought obesity was high in dental caries, not weight issues or people with high TV viewing habits diabetes,” says AFGC deputy chief because they may not be as active, executive Dr Geoffrey Annison. but most studies show that it’s about He says the recommendation covers what they are watching and how that’s dietary ‘free’ sugars and not ‘added’ impacting on the foods they are consugars, in line with the Australian suming,” says Kathy Chapman, chair 92
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January•2017