Sugar Australia has launched a new website aiming to provide evidence-based information on sugar, health and nutrition to consumers, healthcare professionals and food manufacturers.
Initially established in 2002 as a New Zealand resource, the Sugar Research Advisory Service (SRAS) is now funded by both the New Zealand Sugar Company and Sugar Australia.
The website is overseen by a panel of independent scientific advisors from Australia and New Zealand, hosting fact sheets, news, and answers to commonly asked questions regarding sugar. Advisors include Pat Silcock, Product Development Research Centre, University of Otago; Sydney dietician Bill Shrapnel and Professor Winsome Parnell, Human Nutrition Department, University of Otago.
Also hosted on the SRAS website is Sugar Australia's first infographic, which looks at changing sugar consumption patterns in Australia. The infographic states that Australia's apparent sugar consumption, per capita, has dropped from 57kg per year in 1951 to 42kg per year in 2011.
The infographic also explains the difference between apparent consumption and actual consumption, stating that apparent consumption per capita can overestimate actual sugar dietary intake by approximately 40 percent.
Click here to view the infographic.