Shock fat ad reveals sugary drink risks
Shock fat ad reveals sugary drink risks
A confronting health campaign has been launched today urging Australians to cut down on sugary drinks amid revelations of their impact on our health.
It will take someone with a strong gag reflex to stomach the new 'drinking fat' video, which shows a man gulping a glass of goop made to resemble fat.
The revolting advertisement aims to depict what can happen if the extra kilojoules consumed through sweet drinks are not burnt off.
In the video, posted on Youtube, a man opens a can of soda and pours globules of fat into a glass before drinking it.
The average can of soft drink contains up to ten teaspoons of sugar, and experts estimate drinking one can a day can lead to a 5kg weight gain over a year.
The advertisement is licensed from the New York City Department of Health and tailored for an Australian audience, and will run on social media sites, including YouTube and Facebook, this month.
It is being launched today as leading public health experts and community organisations gather at a forum in Melbourne to discuss the growing health risks associated with Australians' high consumption of sugary drinks and to discuss policies to reduce their consumption.
The Rethink Sugary Drink forum is a partnership between Cancer Council Australia, Diabetes Australia and the Heart Foundation (Victoria) and aims to raise awareness of the amount of sugar in sugar-sweetened beverages and to encourage Australians to reduce their intake.
According to research by the Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research at Deakin University, children who drink more than one serving of sugary drink a day are 26 per cent more likely to be overweight or obese.
Craig Sinclair, chairman of Cancer Council Australia's public health committee, said almost 25 per cent of children and more than 60 per cent of adults in Australia were overweight or obese.
"We have reached a point where sugary drinks are considered an everyday staple as opposed to an occasional treat," Mr Sinclair said.
"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.
"Improving people's awareness of the amount of sugar and kilojoules in these drinks is important but it needs to be back up with good policy.
"It's hard 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.
Cancer Council Australia, Diabetes Australia and Heart Foundation (Victoria) have called for a 20 per cent tax on sugary drinks and to have them banned from being sold in schools, hospitals and community sports centres in a bid to reduce consumption.
