Sugary drinks in the gun

Sports venues targets

THE sale of sugar-filled drinks at sports venues in Victoria could be a thing of the past thanks to a health initiative.

The water in sport initiative, announced by VicHealth yesterday, will provide $500,000 for up to nine local councils to promote healthy options and reduce the availability of sugary drinks at canteens in leisure centres and sports facilities.

It shares several values and actions outlined in the City of Greater Geelong’s recently endorsed healthy choices — sugar-sweetened beverages strategy.

Under the CoGG strategy, passed last week, soft drinks will be withdrawn from sale at all council and communityoperated sports venues and other facilities by the end of 2019.

CoGG was unable to advise whether it would be applying for a VicHealth grant as it was in caretaker mode until next month’s elections.

However, should a grant application be made, it appears to shape up well next to several criteria requirements.

VicHealth is looking for councils with a commitment to embedding positive changes within council owned sport and recreation facility canteens — presumably similar to those demonstrated by the strategy.

Municipalities will also be judged on their level of sugarsweetened beverage consumption and high obesity rates.

The Victorian Population Health Survey reveals the Geelong region is the sixth highest consumer of soft drinks in the state and shows a staggering 49 per cent of the population is overweight or obese, with more than 40 per cent of adolescents consuming soft drinks daily.

Cancer Council Australia’s public health committee chairman, Craig Sinclair, said the grants would help healthconscious councils make the healthy choice the easy choice for their residents

“Sugary drinks, like sports drinks, soft drinks and energy drinks, are a contributor to tooth decay, weight gain, obesity, and serious long-term health problems, but they’re widely available and heavily promoted, especially to young people,” Mr Sinclair said.

“We want to see more organisations, especially sports and leisure centres that promote good health and active lifestyles, playing a role in reducing the availability and marketing of these sugarladen, nutrient poor drinks.”

YMCA Victoria has been phasing out soft drinks from its 39 leisure centres since 2015 and advocacy manager Ari Kurzeme said the results were promising.

“We’re selling 757 litres less of sugar-laden drinks per month. This is the equivalent of around 2000 fewer cans of soft drink consumed by the people who use our centres on a monthly basis,” Ms Kurzeme said.

“We have seen that customers are willing to make the switch to healthier options, so there has been no decrease in overall dollar sales.”