The War On Sugar Has Begun
15/1/2014
The first official shots have been fired in a brand new war. This time it is a war on sugar.
Late in 2013 it was discovered the the World Health Organisation will review current guidelines and half the recommended daily intake of sugar from 10 teaspoons to 5.
This proposal has commenced what will no doubt be a massive battle with the multi billion dollar food industry. The WHO proposal was reported widely.
Meanwhile others are firing the fist shots
There are now three major health organisations in Australia calling for a tax on all sweetened drinks. These include soft drinks, flavoured milks and sports drinks.
At the same time a British organisation called Action on Sugar has supporting it some medical and research heavyweights. This organisation is applying the pressure to reduce sugar consumption in the UK.
As can be expected the food industry states that there is absolutely nothing wring with sugar. The Australian Food and Grocery Council deputy chief executive Geoffrey Annison says that there is no scientific evidence that sugar consumption is related to obesity.
Professor Greg Johnson from Diabetes Australia stated in an ABC PM interview that the Food and Grocery councils argument was eerily familiar.
“These are the sorts of responses that we saw out of the tobacco industry decades ago, when we first started hearing from the College of Surgeons in the United States and leading clinicians and researchers around the problems of tobacco and ill health,” he said.
You can listen to the interview by clicking this link.
Finally we have arrived at a point where some logic may prevail. It is very clear from research done over many years that the over consumption of sugar is damaging to health. When you look at how many years it has taken to get the message though about tobacco we might be in for a long drawn out battle.
If you are left wondering how much ground needs to be covered before sugar is understood the same way that tobacco is today, just have a look at the advertisement that was published in the past for everyone to see.
