26 Jan 2015 Food Active backs efforts to reduce sugar consumption in Liverpool
Food Active is pleased to announce its support for Cllr Tim Beaumont’s proposals to Liverpool City Council to reduce sugar consumption across Liverpool.
Cllr Beaumont’s proposals include several measures that are in-line with Food Active’s campaigning priorities concerning sugar and restrictions on junk food marketing. The full list of proposals are listed below:
- Ensure that food provided in schools meets school food standards and aims to adhere to the ‘Food For Life’ Catering Mark.
- Support and promote local food partnerships that encourage a healthy food culture.
- Examine the feasibility of ‘healthy havens’- junk food free public spaces that promote healthier alternatives.
- Investigate the possibility of a ‘sugary-drinks duty’ to help dissuade people from drinking high-sugar drinks.
- Use the council’s publicity team to help promote simple steps individuals can take to reduce the amount of sugar they consume e.g:
- Stop taking sugar in tea and coffee;
- Swap morning/afternoon biscuit for sugar free alternative;
- Change sugary drink to water, low fat milk or diet drink;
- Remove sugar (white and brown) syrup and honey from the breakfast table;
- Know the aliases for ‘sugar’- there are 56 different names- to help consumers make better choices about what they buy;
- Check the sugar content of products that claim to be low-fat, often these can contain high sugar content (e.g. desserts and yoghurts).
Robin Ireland, Director of Food Active, commented on the propsals:
“Tackling obesity is a complex problem that requires many interventions and alterations to the food environment.”
“I am pleased to say that Food Active backs Cllr Beaumont’s proposals which- if fully acted upon- will go some way to improve the diets and health of Liverpool’s population.”
Robin was interviewed about Cllr Beaumont’s proposals on the North West edition 0f BBC’s Sunday Politics programme which can be viewed on this page.
