The Sydney University Healthy Beverage Initiative is a movement led by academics, staff and students who want the University to align campus food and drink sales with the growing science on the negative impact of excess sugar consumption on health.

Leading institutions including the World Health Organization, the University of California San Francisco and a large group of Australian and New Zealand Hospitals are already phasing out the sale and promotion of sugary drinks.  A decade ago we led the country by creating a smoke-free campus environment – now is the time for us to lead again.

There are strong research links between excess sugar consumption to dental caries, type 2 diabetes, obesity, fatty liver, and cardiovascular disease. Sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) are a leading source of excessive added sugar with no other nutritional value in the Australian diet. The University of Sydney community knows that we have a sugary drink problem and wants to see action.

As a world leading health and medical research organisation, the University has a unique opportunity to show Australia the way. Big Soda targets Australian children and young adults with promotions and advertising that result in hard to break habits. Habits result in lifelong health problems for millions.   University of Sydney has played a key role in unveiling these harms. By continuing to sell and allow promotion of these products on campus, we remain part of a problem that causes adverse health consequences for millions of Australians and others worldwide.

We ask the Vice Chancellor to:

We'd love you to join us by emailing the Vice-Chancellor now!

- The Sydney University Healthy Beverage Team