DHB kick out sugary drinks

All hospitals and DHBs are expected to kick sugary drinks off their premises today.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Ministry of Health Director General Chai Chuah have been working on a directive that bans the sale of all sugary drinks from all hospitals and DHB premises.


BOPDHB employee health and safety service manager Ted Harper. Photo: Supplied.

Bay of Plenty District Health Board employee health and safety service manager Ted Harper says the BOPDHB has been working on the issue of SSBs (sugar sweetened beverages) as part of its workplace nutrition policy, which forms a section of its Healthy Living Programme.

'In this programme, which has been running for a number of years, we encourage staff, visitors and patients to improve their health and diets,” says Ted.

'In line with this, and the Director General's request, SSBs were to be removed from sale in in our cafes and vending machines by Wednesday.”

University of Auckland researcher Dr Gerhard Sundborn says the initiative shows a strong commitment to meaningfully address childhood and adult obesity.

'It is hoped too that this model may be replicated in other sectors, for example education,” says Gerhard.

'Considering the harm that sugary drinks pose in their contribution to rotten teeth, diabetes and obesity, this action will have strong population health benefits, particularly for our children.”

The MOH directive reaffirms the Minister of Health's expectation that all DHBs throughout New Zealand are strengthening their approaches to help reduce the incidence of obesity, including showing a commitment to limit sugary drinks.

In the directive the MOH says it acknowledges 'the focus that DHBs were putting on the development of approaches to address obesity”.

They expect this work to be further enhanced in the coming months, when the next steps for the sector will be outlined, particularly in relation to childhood obesity.

A symposium that will look specifically at sugary drinks and health will be held by the University of Auckland (and supported by Otago University and Manukau Institute of Technology) on Wednesday, October 7, in Manukau.

A focal point of the symposium will look at the development and consideration of a number of tax options on sugary drinks considering the increasing public acceptability of such a tax reported in recent polls.

'The exclusion of sugary drinks from hospitals and DHB premises is a significant achievement and a positive legacy of Minister Coleman,” says Gerhard.

'We look forward to seeing the possible influence it may have in leading other sectors to create similar initiatives.”

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9 comments

Overdue

Posted on 01-10-2015 10:32 | By Plonker

Why did that take so long, what about junk food, preservative based foods, also colourings, flavours and more. They are all as bad and most are banned out side of NZ.


What about personal responsibility?

Posted on 01-10-2015 11:23 | By Annalist

As usual the nanny staters and symposium troughers have won out here and the DHB has given in. Where are our elected health board members on this? What about the many people who drink "sugary" drinks responsibly and in moderation. This is pathetic PC nonsense. What about being responsible for our own choices, or did big bad sugar drinks make us do it?


Will they ban fat people next?

Posted on 01-10-2015 12:37 | By BullShtAlert

If soft drinks are banned because they are a bad example and because some people can't handle them sensibly, what will be banned next? On the same silly logic could they ban fat people or fat staff because they are a "bad" example? How insensitive and stupid would that be? Meanwhile the anti fat lobbyists enjoy their junkets and conferences, tut tutting on how bad everything is and clocking up their airpoints? Go figure.


Imagine a step further

Posted on 01-10-2015 17:11 | By The author of this comment has been removed.

If you visit the hospital, want a cuppa, no, no, we don't allow sugar because it's bad for you! Sugar Police at it again.


Overit

Posted on 01-10-2015 18:52 | By overit

Its a great idea, get rid of the chippies, lollies and sweet things too. Surely you responsible sugary drinking people will not mind an example being made to those who are addicts on the stuff. Its such a shame the budget brands are so cheap. As with all things its the idiots who spoil everything. I am amazed at the BurgerKing Ad.-how much do you think this food cost? Its not food, just rubbish in every form. Chips, fizz, soft serve ice cream and gooey syrup and a grotty burger on white bread.But hey the kids love it, and the big kids too. The modern world eh! Get a kebab with salad, yum.


Annalist

Posted on 01-10-2015 18:54 | By GreertonCynic

They are a health care facility, Therefore they have an onus on them to set an example.


Hmmmmmm

Posted on 01-10-2015 19:21 | By Bobby

I wonder which of the overpaid public servants listed above will 'fall on their sword', when a diabetic dies of insulin shock on DHB premises because they were unable to get the 'sugar fix' that they needed????


They cannot possible

Posted on 02-10-2015 09:57 | By astex

Expect grown ups to make their own choices. Nanny state again. If someone is careless crossing the road do they ban EVERYONE from crossing the road? Never mind, with this policy it won't be long before nothing will be sold at the DHB's as the Cafe's will go broke or No contractor in their right mind would want to be so restricted.


Seriously?

Posted on 13-11-2015 03:27 | By JuliaTori

It seems that the aim is good, but I would dispute about the framing. The tax on the choice to drink sugar-drinks?! It's a kind of weird, isn't it? If you are about the danger of the product, then, we might talk about the rest food like cakes and so on. When people try to prevent others from the dangerous alcohol,food abuses, they start to make people afraid, thus, turning to extravagancy in description of after-effects. Having realized that it's not so bad as it was written, you place in question the given information. I judge by myself mostly. The idea of starting to refuse from sugar-drinks for the start is to my liking, but not under the pressure or the tax.


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