West Aussies being urged to ditch sugary drinks to reduce cancer risk

29/10/2024

Media contact: Jane Simpson, 0438 682 548,   jane.simpson@cancerwa.asn.au

Cancer Council WA has relaunched the LiveLighter 13 Cancers public education campaign in a bid to motivate people to cut back on sugary drinks as the hot summer months approach, following research [1] showing almost a third of West Aussies (31 per cent) have sugary drinks three or more times a week.

Cancer Council WA Food and Movement Manager, Ainslie Sartori, said that having too many sugary drinks contributes to weight gain and obesity, which increases the risk of developing 13 types of cancer including oesophageal, liver, and bowel cancer.

“Cutting down on sugary drinks is one of the easiest ways to lower your cancer risk,” Ms Sartori said.

“A single 600 mL bottle of soft drink contains a shocking 16 teaspoons of sugar. This campaign aims to reveal the sickly sweet truth about sugary drinks and encourage West Australians to switch to healthier options.”

Ms Sartori said that with more than 1 in 5 (21 per cent) West Australian adults drinking one litre or more a week of sugary drinks, the LiveLighter campaign is encouraging  people to replace sugary drinks with water.

“Water is the healthiest choice. It’s sugar -free, kilojoule-free and practically free from the tap! Adding a squeeze of citrus or a slap of mint can make it even more refreshing. Low-sugar drinks with less than 2.5g of sugar per 100mL can provide variety."

"For an occasional sweet drink, choose one with less than 5g of sugar per 100mL,” she said.

“A regular soft drink has about twice that amount, so you could halve how much sugar you’re drinking by making the switch.

“By cutting back on sugary drinks and reaching for healthier options, we can save money, reduce our impact on the planet and improve our health.”

13 cancers will run on TV, catch-up TV, out-of-home, online and social media, including Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, and YouTube.

LiveLighter is funded by the WA Department of Health and run by Cancer Council WA.

View the campaign.

Learn more about how you can reduce your cancer risk.

References

[1] Shape of Australia (2023)

To the editor: No “headless bodies” please

Having overweight or obesity comes with a lot of health issues. Some of these are related to the stigma that is attached to living in a larger body. We urge you to use images that are respectful, inclusive and non-stigmatising when reporting on issues related to body weight. For example, show people in larger bodies participating in everyday activities that are not related to weight gain, and use images that include their faces. We are happy to provide you with suitable images if required. Thank you for helping to set a higher standard for reporting on weight issues.

Note: Not everyone living in a larger body is unhealthy, and not everyone living in a smaller body is healthy. Eating well and being physically active are behaviours that will reduce cancer risk, regardless of a person’s weight