This is National Nutrition Week and this year the Central Australia Health Service’s Outreach Public Health Nutritionists and Oral Health Services are teaming up to encourage Territorians to reduce their intake of added sugars.

Whilst some core foods and beverages contain natural sugars, the vast majority of sugars in the Australian diet currently come from sugars added to processed foods and drinks.

Australians currently consume an average of 52 grams of added sugars per day, which is equivalent to 12 teaspoons of sugar. Just over half of the sugar in our diets (52 per cent) comes from sugary drinks, including soft drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, juice drinks and cordials.

The Northern Territory holds the title for the nation’s highest consumption of soft drinks, with 1 in 3 Territorians (33 per cent) reporting drinking them.

Reducing our intake of added sugars can help us maintain strong healthy teeth and a winning smile, as well as helping to keep our waistlines in check and assist in preventing and managing chronic health conditions, such as diabetes or oral health associated diseases. 

“Drinking just one can of soft drink a day can lead to a weight gain of almost seven kilograms over the course of a year,” Public Health Nutritionist Amanda Hill said.

“The simplest thing we can do to drastically reduce our sugar intake is to swap out sugary drinks and make water the main drink for us and our families. This helps reinforce water as the ultimate thirst quencher and stops sugary drinks from becoming the norm.”

Healthy habits start early with children developing lifelong taste preferences from infancy. Sadly, Aussie kids are getting a taste for sweet things from an early age, with two-three-year-olds consuming an average of 40 grams (or 10 teaspoons) of sugar per day.

 “It’s important to introduce water as the main drink for our little ones from the get go. Kids under two years of age should not be given sweet drinks, and that includes fruit juice. It’s vital to role model healthy behaviours as kids are always watching and learning from the people around them.”

Public Health Nutritionists and Oral Health Promotions Officer from Central Australia Health Service will be running a roadshow to remote communities in the region during National Nutrition Week to promote ways to reduce sugar intake in schools, community development programs and remote stores. 

Here are our top 3 ways to cut some added sugar from your day:

1.      Choose water! Avoid sugary drinks, such as soft drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks and cordials. 

2.      Choose whole foods and minimally processed foods for snacks, such as fresh fruit, veggie sticks with dip, wholegrain crackers with tomato and cheese, boiled eggs, natural yoghurt, or a handful of dry roasted nuts.

3.      Look for sugar on the labels of packaged foods – if sugar is listed in the first three ingredients or the product contains >15g of sugar per 100g, look for an alternative choice.

National Nutrition Week runs from 13-19 October 2019.

Media contact: Gail Turner – 0476 839 383

Attached is a photograph of school children at the remote community of Titjikala enjoying a drink of water with Digger the Brush Well Cheeky Dog.