All posts by Matthew Donnelly

Nov 04
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Would you like to bring That Sugar Film to your area?

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That Sugar Film is one man’s journey to discover the bitter truth about sugar. Damon Gameau embarks on a unique experiment to document the effects of a high sugar diet on a healthy body, consuming only foods that are commonly perceived as ‘healthy’. Through this entertaining and informative journey, Damon highlights some of the issues that plague the sugar industry, and where sugar lurks on supermarket shelves. That Sugar Film will forever change the way you think about ‘healthy’ food.

As part of our ongoing campaign to raise public awareness about the health harms associated with sugar consumption, Give Up Loving Pop & Food Active are offering you the chance to host That Sugar Film in your local area including a talk from the Food Active team (applies to North West England only). If you are interested in hosting a local film showing and would like to find out more please email: foodactive@hegroup.org.uk

Oct 27
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GULP sessions in local Blackpool colleges

Weighing in on sugary drinks

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Blackpool Council, in collaboration with Give Up Loving Pop, is tackling the excessive sugary drink intake of 11-18 year olds in a bid to stop them developing multiple health complications.

The challenge comes as pressure grows on the Government to introduce a tax to sugary food and drinks in order to reduce consumption and tackle the growing obesity crisis.

Blackpool is launching a Give Up Loving Pop (Gulp) campaign encouraging Blackpool students to take part in a 21 day challenge to give up sugary drinks with the hope that they will switch to healthier drinks for good.

The campaign targets such groups as data held by Public Health England specifically highlights that it is the 11-18 year old cohort that are the biggest consumers of sugary drinks.

Awareness and education sessions are being held throughout October and November at participating high schools as well as Blackpool and the Fylde College and Blackpool Sixth Form College.

Students have the opportunity to look at the amounts of sugar in their favourite drinks and what health complications these can cause. They are also given a Gulp goodie bag containing further information and instructions on how to take part in the challenge.

Figures released earlier this year from Public Health England (PHE) show that children between 4-18 are getting 30% of their sugar intake from sugary drinks.

As a result of this, 36% of the town’s 10 and 11 year olds are classed as overweight according to NCMP.

Cllr Eddie Collett, Cabinet Member for Public Health, said:

“It is important that Blackpool children have a healthy diet in order to receive all the nutrients they need to grow and develop, and prevent long term health conditions.”

“This campaign focuses on educating children on the amount of sugar in sugar sweetened beverages so that they can make their own decisions regarding consumption.”

“Parents are also urged to play their part in making healthy shopping choices, in the hope of seeing a long term change in culture.”

Click here to find out more about Blackpool Council’s Give Up Loving Pop campaign.

Sep 01
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New documentary calls on the nation to Give Up Loving Pop!

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Health campaigners from Give Up Loving Pop (Gulp) have welcomed the broadcast this week of ‘Sugar Rush’, a new documentary from Jamie Oliver which explores the devastating impact that sugar and sugary drinks are having upon the nation’s health.

Featuring shocking scenes including the extraction of multiple teeth from young children and emotional interviews with type 2 diabetes patients who have had limb amputations, Sugar Rush does not make for comfortable viewing.

But this only emphasises the urgent need for a tax on sugary drinks and other actions to curb sugar consumption (particularly in light of recent Government advice to reduce sugar intake) according to Robin Ireland, Director of the Gulp campaign:

“Well done Jamie Oliver for bringing the sugar debate to prime time television. As Jamie says, it’s time for government to step up in the face of the human and economic costs of dental care, type 2 diabetes and obesity.”

“This damage is preventable. It can’t be left to the individual to make the right choice and cut back on sugar whilst being bombarded with the huge marketing campaigns of the sugary drinks and processed food industries.”

“This is why here at Give Up Loving Pop we are supporting Jamie’s call for a duty on sugary drinks and this is why we have been campaigning to inform the public about the health harms associated with sugary drink consumption.”

 

Jul 17
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Health campaigners welcome new report that recommends halving sugar intake

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Give Up Loving Pop, a campaign group that is encouraging the public to think again before reaching for sugary drinks, welcomes a new report released today which recommends that we should all drastically reduce our sugar intake; so that sugar makes up only 5% of an individual’s total daily energy intake.

The report, from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), introduces guidance which is likely to have a significant impact upon the public as well as the food and drink industry. The new recommended 5% limit will mean that products such as crisps and chocolate bars should be regarded as “once or twice a week” luxuries, not as snacks to be eaten every day.

Robin Ireland, Director of the Give Up Loving Pop campaign, has responded to the report:

“That the report released today recommends a halving on the previous guidelines is a big win for the public’s health and the Give Up Loving Pop campaign. However, given that the new recommendations will mean moving from an intake of 50-70g per day (women and men respectively) to 25-35g per day, it will be vital that the government and the food and drink industry step-up and take action to make it easier for the public to adhere to the new guidelines. Take sugary drinks as an example; one standard can of coke contains 39g of sugar, so just by drinking one can of coke a day would exceed your recommended intake.”

For media enquiries / interviews please email: matthew.donnelly@hegroup.org.uk / telephone: 0151 237 2686.

Jul 13
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Doctors’ leaders call for a 20 per cent tax amid warnings over impact of poor diet on nation’s health

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Doctors’ leaders are calling for a 20 per cent tax on sugary drinks to subsidise the sale of fruit and vegetables, and help tackle the increasing level of obesity and diet-related health problems in the UK.

As a third of the population are projected to be obese by 2030, a new report from the BMA, ‘Food for Thought’, highlights the need for wide-ranging action to promote healthier diets, particularly among children and young people.

It also calls for new legislation to ensure that all the 3500 academies and 200 free schools in England adhere to the same mandatory food standards as state schools, such as not serving soft drinks and providing at least one portion of fruit every day.

Professor Sheila Hollins, BMA board of science chair, said:

“Doctors are increasingly concerned about the impact of poor diet, which is responsible for up to 70,000 deaths a year, and has the greatest impact on the NHS budget, costing £6bn annually.

“While sugar-sweetened drinks are very high in calories they are of limited nutritional value and when people in the UK are already consuming far too much sugar, we are increasingly concerned about how they contribute towards conditions like diabetes.

“We know from experiences in other countries that taxation on unhealthy food and drinks can improve health outcomes, and the strongest evidence of effectiveness is for a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. If a tax of at least 20 per cent is introduced, it could reduce the prevalence of obesity in the UK by around 180,000 people.

“We know that the majority of the UK population, particularly low income households, are not consuming enough fruit and vegetables, so financial measures should also be considered to subsidise their price, which has risen by 30 per cent since 2008. This is an important way to help redress the imbalance highlighted previously between the cost of healthy and unhealthy products, which particularly impacts on individuals and families affected by food poverty.”

The report also calls on the government to ensure food provided by all local academies and free schools meets the same mandatory standards as state schools, and that free fruit and vegetable schemes are available in all primary schools in the UK.

Although local authority schools must follow strict food regulations, not all academies and free schools have to adhere to these standards.

Professor Hollins said:

“Children’s diets are easily influenced, so regulating the food provided in schools, and providing free fruit and vegetables in primary schools, is an important way to support healthier diets among children and young people. All academies and free schools must be subject to the same mandatory standards as state schools, as without them they are more likely to provide cheaper, poorer quality food.”

Click here for further information.

Jun 30
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A Coca-Cola bottle is seen with other beverages in New York

A taxing issue: A duty on sugary drinks will protect England’s health finds new research

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New research published today finds that the introduction of a 20% duty on sugary drinks would have a major impact on the health of England’s population.

The research, conducted on behalf of Food Active (a North West based healthy weight campaign) by public health researcher Brendan Collins and colleagues. Published in the PLOS One journal, it indicates that the introduction of a 20% duty on sugary drinks could lead to:

  • Approximately 2,400 fewer cases of type 2 diabetes.
  • Some 1,700 fewer cases of stroke and coronary heart disease.
  • Around 400 fewer cases of cancer.
  • A gain of approximately 40,000 Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) per year.
  • A reduction in calorie intake across England with the biggest change in Newham (7.1 kcals per person per day) and the smallest expected change in West Somerset (5.9 kcals per person per day).

Brendan Collins, author of the research, said:

“Survey data show that consumption of sugary drinks has progressively increased since the late 1980s in the UK. Teenagers in particular are the biggest consumers of these drinks.”

“Overconsumption of these drinks can lead to obesity and obesity-related diseases. It is therefore crucial that we consider effective fiscal measures such as a 20% duty to combat this rise in consumption. This study adds to the growing body of evidence demonstrating health benefits for a sugary drinks duty.”

Robin Ireland, Director of Food Active, said:

“At Food Active we see a duty on sugary drinks as a key measure in the fight against obesity. Taxes on sugary drinks have now been successfully implemented in a number of US states as well as in France, Hungary, Norway, Denmark, Samoa and Mexico. It’s time for the UK to rapidly follow suit, for the sake of our health.”

Prof. Simon Capewell, a co-author in the study, said:

“Here is important evidence that a sugary drinks tax could save lives and money. Sugary drinks taxes have been successful in many countries. In Mexico, sugary drinks taxes have rapidly reduced consumption by an impressive 10% overall, and even more in deprived households. Jamie Oliver is leading the way in his British restaurants. When will the UK government also take this very effective action?”

To find out more about the Food Active campaign, visit: www.foodactive.org.uk

Click here to view the full study. (PDF)

Jun 11
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Are energy drinks creating a ‘caffeine culture’ in our schools?

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With the obesity problem amongst children and young people gaining attention from policy makers and health activists alike, the spotlight has turned on energy drinks.

An article in today’s Guardian highlights growing concerns from parents and teachers about the widespread consumption of high-caffeine and high-sugar energy drinks by pupils- leading to what has been dubbed a ‘caffeine culture’ in schools.

Reasons for the rise of this ‘caffeine culture’ are many and varied, but as Katharine Jenner, Campaigns Director of Action on Sugar points out, many energy drinks are ‘unfairly marketed, making claims about performance enhancing. I think that is no longer about (free) choice; that’s influencing people’s choice, and it’s no longer a fair game.’

Jenner elaborates that energy drink companies are trying to get people addicted to their products, which can contain a child’s full daily sugar intake and the caffeine equivalent of a cup of coffee.

The increasing media focus on the negative health consequences of sugary energy drinks, and the rise of a ‘caffeine culture’ amongst young people is welcomed by the team here at Health Equalities Group (HEG).

Robin Ireland, Chief Executive of HEG, says:

“Our Give Up Loving Pop campaign kick-started a national conversation about sugary drinks; and whether or not they deserve a place in young people’s diets given their contribution to the nation’s obesity problem.’

‘It’s great to see further media coverage of this important public health issue and here at HEG we fully endorse the stance that Action on Sugar have taken with regards to the irresponsible marketing practices associated with these beverages towards young people.’

You can find out more about our Give Up Loving Pop campaign here.

Interested in running a Gulp campaign in your area? Contact us for more information.

Apr 22
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Exploring the acceptability of a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages

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Evidence has suggested that placing a tax on sugary drinks could reduce consumption and reduce levels of obesity. Food Active, funded by the North West Directors of Public Health, commissioned a research report to explore the acceptability of a tax on sugary drinks. The research explored the attitudes, behaviours and perceptions of people who would most likely be affected by a tax on sugary drinks.

The research report found that people are well informed about the impact of sugary drinks on dental health, but less aware about the links between sugary drinks and weight gain. The research also found that most people were not against the idea of a tax, but had varying views about the level of the tax, and whether it would be effective.

Click here to read the full research report. (PDF)

Mar 12
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The next government could save the NHS £300 million by introducing a sugary drinks duty

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The Children’s Food Campaign has today published a tool that allows people to view the impact a sugary drinks duty could have in their local area. The figures, available on www.childrenshealthfund.org.uk, show that the introduction of a duty on sugary drinks could reduce cases of diet-related diseases by tens of thousands, as well as save the NHS and public health budgets in England £300 million over twenty years.

Soft drinks are the largest single source of sugar for children aged 4-10 years and teenagers. The research, published in association with University of Liverpool academic Brendan Collins and Food Active, shows that if the government introduced a 20 pence per litre sugary drinks duty in England, then the impact nationally over twenty years could be to:

  • reduce the cases of diabetes by just under 50,000
  • prevent almost 9000 cases of bowel cancer
  • reduce strokes and cases of coronary heart disease by over 33,000
  • save the NHS at least £15 million a year in healthcare costs for treating those diseases
  • improve the quality of life for tens of thousands of residents.

Outside of London, the impact on obesity and calorie reduction could be greatest in places such as Slough, Manchester, Luton, Blackburn, Leicester, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Bradford and Nottingham, which have the highest relative proportion of younger demographics who typically consume the most sugary drinks. The local authorities set to gain the most total savings and health benefits from a sugary drinks duty include Birmingham, Leeds, Durham, Cornwall, Sheffield and Bradford- due to their large populations.

Full data sources and methodology can be viewed at www.childrenshealthfund.org.uk

Malcolm Clark, co-ordinator of the Children’s Food Campaign, said:

“Current taxes on foods are a mess, and don’t support people choosing healthier options. A 20p per litre sugary drinks duty would save lives and money across England, and ease the pressure on NHS services locally. It is a logical, proportionate and effective measure. Using the revenue to set up a Children’s Health Fund, paying for programmes to improve children’s health and protect the environment they grow up in, would also ensure that this was a progressive measure, benefiting families in poverty and on low incomes.”

“Public health directors in North West England and in Cardiff, as well as the London Health Commission, have publicly backed a sugary drinks duty. We hope this new research encourages public health directors across England to join their counterparts in calling for the government to introduce a new nationwide duty.”

Robin Ireland, Director of Food Active:

“Just as extra taxes on cigarettes have helped to change purchasing habits and reduce smoking, adding 20p per litre onto the price of sugary drinks would encourage people to consume less and lead to improvements in quality of life. We want to see the next Government introduce a sugary drinks duty without delay.”

Christine Lewis, national officer, Unison:

“Diet-related ill health dis proportionally affects lower income groups. We support the calls for a sugary drinks duty, and would like to see the money raised used for a Children’s Health Fund to further tackle health inequalities and to continue supporting the great improvements in school food.”

CitizensUK, the alliance of local community organising groups, state in their manifesto for 2015:

“We are calling for a Children’s Health Fund to enable a step-change in early intervention. Since there is no spare money in the NHS, we are calling for a duty on sugary drinks, which will itself reduce diabetes and obesity.”

Professor Damien Walmsley, British Dental Association’s scientific adviser:

“A tax on sugary drinks and food is a no brainer. It’s a scandal that one in eight of our three-year olds currently experiences tooth decay. It’s time we tackled the problem at source.”

For more information go to www.childrenshealthfund.org.uk