Obesity, is sugar to blame?:

According to a recent study, a whopping 11.2 million Australians are overweight or obese.

“The norm in our society is to be overweight or obese,” said Obesity Policy Coalition executive manager Jane Martin.

Dr Peter Brukner, Australian Cricket Team doctor and founder of SugarByHalf suggests sugar is one of the key culprits when it comes to piling on the extra kilos.

“We’re consistently bombarded with a range of different diets but the one thing that all of these diets have in common, is the reduction of added sugar.

We all need to reduce sugar, to address the epidemic rates of ill health we’re experiencing in Australia.” Advises Dr Brukner, who identifies a current Sugardemic.

Excess weight is among the biggest health concerns in Australia; it leads to heart disease and strokes as well as raises the risk of type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis and psychological problems.

The alarming fact is sugar is everywhere and impossible to avoid. Foods packed with sugar are the fastest, cheapest and the most convenient options for many Australian families. We currently eat and drink 16 teaspoons of added sugar daily (this rises to 22 teaspoons for kids and teens), far exceeding the World Health Organization recommendation of 6 teaspoons a day for optimal health.

SugarByHalf ambassador Professor Rob Moodie confirms:

“Cutting our added sugar by half is the quickest, cheapest and most effective way of reducing chronic disease. We need all sides of politics to take these issues seriously, to support effective policies and water down the junk-food and junk-drink industries that are undermining our health.”

SugarByHalf was formed earlier this year, to create awareness and encourage Australians to avoid hidden sugars by reducing their intake of sugar by 50%. Given the following facts, this can prove to be more of a challenge than we care to admit.

• We are consuming 22kg of added sugar each year
• There is a direct link between sugary drink consumption and obesity, dental cavities and Type 2 diabetes
• 1 in 3 Aussie kids will be overweight or obese by 2025.
• Hidden sugars are in nearly 80% of grocery products.
• Junk food lines the majority of check outs
• Sugary brands spend significantly on advertising and marketing
• It is cheaper, faster and more convenient to buy foods that are processed and high in sugar.

For health advice and sugar swap ideas to reduce your sugar consumption, please go to www.SugarByHalf.com.