Survey launched to find out how ‘sugar smart’ people are in Hackney

Residents in Hackney are being asked to ‘tell all’ about their sugar habits with the launch of a survey this week to find out how ‘sugar smart’ they really are and how they can be best supported to reduce their sugar intake to improve their health.

Everyone who completes the survey by 30 October has the chance to win a selection of prizes which includes tickets to this year’s pantomime at the Hackney Empire, free recipe kits from Make Kits, a free brunch at E5 BakeHouse, chef’s apron from Made in Hackney, organic veg box from Growing Communities and tickets for Hackney Picture House.

Hackney Council and Hackney Food Partnership have organised the survey and the results will be used to help shape a campaign later this year to tell people about the health risks of excessive sugar consumption and to find ways of reducing the amount of sugary foods and drinks that are sold and consumed in the borough.

Eating too much sugar means people are consuming more calories than they need and this in turn can lead to obesity and diabetes. On average adults in the UK eat more than double the recommended amount of 7 tsp (30g) of sugar a day. Children, teenagers and those on low incomes eat the most, with children and teenagers on average eating three times the daily recommended amount; the daily recommended amount for 4 to 10 year-olds is 5 tsp (19g) and 7 tsp (30g) for those aged 11+.

Kathryn Packer, Founder Member of Hackney Food Partnership said: “We consume much too much sugar than is good for us. This is because sugary food and drink is available everywhere, cheap to buy and heavily advertised and marketed, particularly to children. Hackney’s sugar survey will allow us to know what the people of Hackney think about sugar and what needs to be done to help reduce its excessive consumption in the borough.”

The Hackney sugar survey is available online at https://consultation.hackney.gov.uk/public-health/sugar-smart-hackney-residents-survey.

Overconsumption of sugar in Hackney is a major cause of the high levels of obesity and so it is vitally important we help people to reduce their intake of sugar.  The residents survey on sugar will help us understand how best to do this.

Cllr Jonathan McShane, Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Devolution, Hackney Council