Rethink Sugary Drink forum to drive thirst for consumer change

A new TV advertisement for the Rethink Sugary Drink campaign was launched at a forum in Melbourne.

The ad shows a man drinking a can of fat, representative of what will happen if the extra kilojoules ("killer joules") consumed through sugar-sweetened drinks are not burnt off.

The ad has been licensed from the New York City Department of Health and tailored for an Australian audience, and will run on popular social media sites YouTube and Facebook throughout October.

At the forum, health experts and community organisations discussed the growing health risks associated with Australians’ high consumption of sugary drinks – more than 1.4 billion litres a year – and considered policy options to reduce consumption.

The forum comes in the face of soft drink companies now positioning themselves as “part of the obesity solution,” using advertising and public relations campaigns.

The forum was co-hosted by Cancer Council Victoria, Diabetes Australia, the National Heart Foundation (Victoria), Nutrition Australia, the Australian Dental Association and the Obesity Policy Coalition.