Powerful ally is sweet success for DHB's war on sugary drinks

Sugary drinks are under attack.

The Whanganui District Health Board's stand against sugary drinks has a powerful ally.

The New Zealand Dental Association has commended the board's encouragement of patients, family, visitors and ward staff to reject sugary drinks in favour of water at hospital and at home.

"NZDA supports the DHB's stance here. This is a leadership issue in our communities. We now have those at the frontline standing up against the harms that sugary drinks cause," said NZDA sugary drinks spokeswoman Dr Donna Kennedy.

"From a dental perspective, sugary drinks are devastating.

"There is no doubt they're a factor in the increase in children admitted for dental treatment in hospitals - this jumped from 4500 to 7500 over the past decade and a half."

Dr Kennedy said a consensus group recommended nationwide marketing campaigns to encourage people to switch to water.

The group consists of various medical bodies including the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, Cancer Society of New Zealand, Diabetes New Zealand, the Heart Foundation, and the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons.

The seven actions recommended by the consensus group are:

Introducing an icon on drinks indicating, in teaspoons, the amount of sugar in each drink;

Independent monitoring and evaluation of food marketing, with an emphasis on marketing that influences children;

Urging the Government to adopt World Health Organisation limit guidelines on sugar;

Encouraging public to switch to water by introducing warning labels highlighting sugary drinks as risk factors for obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay, and nationwide social marketing campaigns such as Switch to Water;

Working with schools and the Ministry of Education to introduce "water only" policies;

Introducing water only policies at council facilities and events;

Introducing a sugary drinks tax in line with WHO recommendations.

This month the Whanganui District Council decided not to implement a sugar-sweetened beverages policy (SSBP), but a healthy food and beverages guideline will be developed to be used at council-owned facilities and events.