Golden Plains Shire Council has teamed up with health promotion foundation VicHealth to urge local residents to sign up for the H30 Challenge and improve their health.
With the annual cost of obesity in Australia estimated as high as $120 billion Local Government plays a key role in encouraging and enabling healthy lifestyles.
VicHealth’s H30 Challenge calls on Victorians to make a simple 30-day pledge to replace every sugary drink they would normally drink, with water.
Sugary drinks include sugar-sweetened soft drinks, energy drinks, fruit drinks, sports drinks, ready-to-drink iced tea, flavoured water and cordial.
Golden Plains Shire Council is one of 18 councils VicHealth is working with this year to promote the challenge.
Mayor Des Phelan encourages residents to take up the challenge.
“Almost 20 per cent of Golden Plains residents drink soft drinks on a daily basis, which is unfortunately well above the Victorian average of 11.2 per cent.
“Switching to water can help improve dental health, maintain a healthy weight and save money.”
VicHealth CEO Jerril Rechter welcomed Golden Plains Shire Council’s involvement in the H30 Challenge.
“The H30 Challenge costs nothing and could make a big impact on your life. A regular 600mL bottle of soft drink contains about 16 teaspoons of sugar and there are around 11 teaspoons of sugar in a sports drink. You wouldn’t put this much sugar in your morning coffee yet many people are unknowingly consuming such high amounts on a daily basis,” she said.
“With nearly two-thirds of Victorians currently overweight or obese, reducing intake of excess kilojoules through sugary drinks is one way to promote a healthier diet and improve health, prevent tooth decay – and save money.”
