APPENDIX 22
Memorandum by the British Soft Drinks
Association (OB 36)
SUMMARY
The soft drinks industry produces a wide range
of drinks, including diet and low calorie options, offering extensive
choice for consumers. Any action to deal with obesity needs to
be based on enabling consumers to make informed choices about
their diet and their lifestyle.
WHAT IS
BSDA?
The British Soft Drinks Association is the national
trade association representing the interests of the UK's manufacturers,
factors and franchisors of soft drinks, including carbonated and
still drinks, fruit juices and bottled waters.
WHAT ARE
THE CAUSES
OF THE
RISE IN
OBESITY IN
RECENT DECADES?
Obesity results from an imbalance between the
intake of calories in food and drink and their expenditure in
daily activity. The combination of factors that influence the
likelihood of obesity varies from person to person: so will the
actions that are needed to combat it.
WHAT CAN
BE DONE
ABOUT IT?
There is a range of things to be done to combat
obesity involving both sides of the calorie equation: diet and
physical activity. Many different organisations have a part to
play, and it is important that they do so in a coherent and consistent
manner.
We believe that it is not possible to control
what people eat and drink or how much exercise they take and that
it would be undesirable to try. It is much better to provide information
about the range of options available and education about how to
construct a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Individuals
can then make informed decisions for themselves.
The soft drinks industry provides information
about its products, on labels, websites and direct to consumers.
Feedback from consumers suggests that too much information on
a label can become confusing, so the label should carry only the
most important information with the rest available elsewhere.
Many soft drinks companies support programmes
of physical activity and exercise, and BSDA itself publishes an
education pack about the importance of a balanced diet and fluid
intake, "Liquids Mean Life". (The pack makes a point
of containing or promoting no brand names.)
THE ROLE
OF SOFT
DRINKS IN
THE DIET
Soft drinks can play a role in a healthy and
balanced diet, providing an important source of fluid.
Adequate fluid intake is an important contributor
to good health. Scientific studies have confirmed what is intuitively
obvious, namely that people prefer to consume fluids with flavours
they like. This means that soft drinks have a role to play in
achieving and maintaining adequate fluid intake.
Secondly, the overall consumption of soft drinks
is not high. The average child drinks about 4.7 litres of soft
drinks (comprising roughly 60% dilutable and still drinks, 30%
carbonates, 8% fruit juice, 2% bottled water) each week, of which
2.4 litres contain sugar. (1) This is only about 2 glasses per
day, hardly the excess that is sometimes reported. For adults,
the equivalent figure is 2.5 litres of soft drinks (roughly 31%
dilutable and still drinks, 41% carbonates, 13% fruit juice, 15%
bottled water), of which about 1 litre contains sugar. (2) This
is about 1 glass per day.
Thirdly, fruit juice—which makes up about
9% of the soft drinks market (3) —can provide one of the
five portions of fruit and vegetables the government recommends
should be consumed daily.
Fourthly, one must bear mind that many soft
drinks—perhaps 60% of the total market (4) —have reduced
calorie levels or none at all.
Through continual innovation the soft drinks
industry provides a wide range of drinks to satisfy its consumers'
needs, including nutritional needs and preferences as well as
taste, variety, convenience and value for money. This range of
carbonated and still drinks, fruit juices and bottled waters,
helps enable consumers to make choices appropriate to their individual
lifestyles and levels of physical activity.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
ACTION
The government should:
Promote information and education both on diet
and physical activity, so that individuals are able to make healthy
choices.
Seek to work with a wide range of organisations
to convey this message
Include fruit juice in the Fruit in Schools scheme
for children aged four to six.
REFERENCES
(1) Figures from the NDNS 1997.
(2) Figures from the NDNS 2000.
(3) Figure from Zenith International, quoted
in the 2002 Sucralose Report.
(4) Figure from Zenith International, quoted
in the 2001 Sucralose Report.
30 April 2003
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