Sugary drinks are no longer a looming public health crisis but a very real one. By working together and acting now, we can prevent obesity, a leading risk factor for some cancers.
Sugary drinks, also known as sugar-sweetened beverages, are the major source of sugars consumed by children and young people in New Zealand. These include any beverage that has added sugar such as carbonated or fizzy drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, fruit drinks and juices, powdered drinks, cordial and flavoured waters. The consumption of sugary drinks is associated with dental caries, weight gain and obesity. Obesity is a leading risk factor for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. Nearly two thirds of adults and one third of children are either overweight or obese in New Zealand.
To learn more, download our joint consensus statement that we share with many other organisations: