A new public health campaign that mocks the glamour of soft drink advertisements is urging Australians to consider the impact of sugary drinks on their teeth.
Key points:
- A coalition of 19 health and community groups have funded the campaign
- The campaign is aimed at younger Australians who are more “image conscious”
- Dentists say the effects of drinking soft drink on dental health is “immediate”
The Rethink Sugary Drink health campaign features young people drinking red cans of a drink that appears to contain cola, before flashing smiles that reveal rotten teeth.
The online-only campaign will be shared on social media by health and community organisations.
The Australian Dental Association (ADA), Diabetes Australia and the Cancer Council are among eight groups using the campaign to call for:
- A levy on sugary drinks to increase prices by 20 per cent
- A government-supported social marketing campaign to highlight the health effects of sugary drinks
- Restrictions to reduce children’s exposure to marketing of sugary drinks
- Restrictions on the sale of sugary drinks in schools, government institutions and at children’s sport events
- State and local government policies to reduce the availability of sugary drinks in workplaces, healthcare facilities and other public places
- Promotion and easy access to fluoridated tap water
Another 11 health and community organisations have backed the awareness campaign.
