Sugar Reduction Summit returns with more scientific content

The Sugar Reduction Summit; Industry, Regulation and Public Health has joined forces with the International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk (ICCR) and European Healthy Lifestyle Alliance (EHLA) UK to create a combined programme of policy, science and evidence led discussions around the issues of sugar reduction.

This year’s summit will take place on 22 September at The Royal Society in London, UK, and will include ICCR and EHLA’s presentations on the science around SSBs and obesity.

Sugar reduction has really taken centre stage this year, with the recent publication of the government’s Childhood Obesity Plan and its focus on the sugar levy and sugar reduction programmes as a means of tackling obesity. Now in its third year, the summit is a key event for industry, public health, policy, science and academia and the health and wellness communities interested in the importance and challenges of sugar reduction.

This year, the summit will include a detailed analysis of the impact of the sugar levy with the OECD’s health economist Franco Sassi and Kate Smith from the Institute of Fiscal Studies, a perspective on potential legal challenges from Amandine Garde, University of Liverpool, and industry contribution from Gareth Barrett of the British Soft Drinks Association.

With the Childhood Obesity Plan’s focus on voluntary reformulation, the afternoon session will bring together Professor Susan Jebb, former chair of the Responsibility Deal, and Elaine Arkin, who oversaw the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation’s project to remove billions of calories from the food chain to discuss what a successful voluntary programme might look like.

Other topics include an update on sugars from SACN chair Professor Ian Macdonald, a look at whether it’s possible to reach 5% with Professor Jack Winkler and Tanya Haffner and whether the UK might follow the US in separating sugar and added sugar, or whether sugar quantity might be delineated on labels with teaspoons. The summit also includes analysis of the role of sweeteners in weight management and latest research on consumer perception of sweeteners.

ICCR and EHLA will run a parallel session at the summit, focusing on the importance of reducing sugar intake from beverages. The programme will feature both scientific and behaviour change experts in order to equip delegates with the tools to bring about change within their own sectors. This will include presentations from Professor Jean-Pierre Despres on abdominal obesity; Professor Luc Tappy, University of Lausanne, on SSBs and cardiometabolic risk; and Professor Bruce Griffin, University of Surrey, on evolving the science of nutrition to address over consumption of SSBs. Afternoon sessions will provide practical guidance from behaviour change experts. Dr Steve Mann from UK Active will examine the role of physical activity in delivering a healthier society and UCL’s health behaviour expert Dr Rebecca Beeken will look at how to deliver sustainable behaviour change.

For more information, please visit www.thesugarreductionsummit.co.uk