Warning on 'low kilojoule' soft drinks

While the Australian Dental Association has welcomed the release of the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the Infant Feeding Guidelines, it warns people that limiting consumption of soft drinks to ‘low kilojoule’ ones does not go far enough. 

The guidelines - released this week by the National Health and Medical Research Council - were developed after examining the scientific evidence about the best dietary patterns for Australians of all ages.

‘While the guidelines suggest that the consumption of sugar sweetened drinks is associated with the increased risk of weight gain in adults and in children, the ADA warns that this only tells half the story,’ chair of the ADA’s Oral Health Committee, Dr Peter Alldritt said. 

 

The public is urged to also note that the guidelines state: 'The acidity of sweetened drinks is also relevant to dental erosion, a major factor in dental decay. This applies equally to sweetened or diet soft drinks, since their acidity is comparable.'