Sugar has been part of our lives for centuries and can be enjoyed as part of a healthy balanced lifestyle which includes eating a variety of foods, physical activity and maintaining a healthy body weight.

The sugar industry communicates science-based information on the role of sugar, through its Nutrition Department at the South African Sugar Association, providing nutrition education material for the medical and education sectors and providing nutrition training of health workers.

The industry is committed to supporting nutrition research in South Africa through an independent panel of scientists that allocate grants for projects undertaken in tertiary institutions.

Promoting a healthy lifestyle

The sugar industry is aware of the increase in obesity in the South African population and contributions to decreasing national prevalence of obesity has become a priority. There is increasing evidence that insufficient physical poses a health risk especially for conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. The sugar industry has committed to promoting physical activity through building outdoor gyms in rural communities where there is no access to gym facilities. To date the industry has built six outdoor gyms in communities situated within the sugarcane growing belt. In partnership with Diabetes South Africa, the sugar industry contributes to increasing the awareness of diabetes at the annual Global Diabetes Walk.

You and Sugar

There is so much inaccurate information when it comes to nutrition, particularly on sugar and health, that it becomes difficult to tell fact from fiction. A visit to www.sasa.org.za will help clear misconceptions and myths about sugar as it contains science-based facts about sugar and health.

There is a considerable amount of information on the website You and sugar including the South African Guidelines for Healthy Eating, science facts about sugar, about lifestyle diseases such as obesity and diabetes, information provided by specialists on exercise and how to develop healthy eating habits.

All the information has been reviewed by dieticians registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.