“This campaign focuses on added sugars. The objective is not to ban them, because that doesn’t work. The goal is rather to limit and reduce by making the population aware of the fact that added sugars are everywhere and that we consume too much compared to what the body can tolerate”: Aurélie Giger, the new director of the Diabetesvaud association since January 2024, underlines the importance of information and awareness with a view to better knowledge, a method which works more than morality, in his eyes.
We couldn’t agree more. Stroke, obesity, high cholesterol, cancer and cavities, we know that excessive consumption of sugar increases the risk of disease. Diabetes remains one of the main consequences.
Although treatments for types 1, 2 and gestational diabetes have improved considerably over the past ten years, the number of people affected is nonetheless increasing exponentially on a global scale.
In Switzerland too, the figures are worrying. According to statistics shared by the Diabetesvaud association, the country of 8.8 million inhabitants has no less than 500,000 diabetics. A curve rising steeply, with 5,000 new cases per year. The canton of Vaud alone has 50,000.
A campaign that extends to German-speaking Switzerland
The ratio between type 1 and type 2 diabetes is 10%, or 40,000 people with type 1, and 90%, or 460,000 people with type 2. To conclude with the figures, 5 to 20% of adults have type 2 diabetes, while 10 to 15% of pregnancies lead to gestational diabetes.
“A third of people who have diabetes do not know it,” notes Aurélie Giger, while recalling that a large part of the organs can be affected: the eyes, the feet, the kidneys, the liver, the pancreas and all that. which relates to the cardiovascular system.
Even today, the specter of diabetes generates false beliefs that confine it to the status of the fruit of the deadly sins of gluttony and laziness. Obviously, it’s much more complex than it seems. We saw this recently in an article published in April 2024 in 24 hours, type 1 diabetes is exploding among children. An outbreak that specialists cannot clearly explain.
Within reach, added sugar is no less manageable.
“Drastically reducing sugary drinks, such as lemonades and sodas, is already very good,” says the director of Diabetesvaud. By favoring what is homemade rather than industrial food, we also considerably reduce the consumption of added sugars.
“Getting into the habit of reading labels is also wise, so you realize that added sugars are everywhere, even in mustard.”
Building on the success of the first edition in 2023, the MAYbe Less Sugar campaign is gaining momentum by extending to German-speaking Switzerland. “In May 2023, nearly 7,000 people took part in the action, the majority reported a reduction in their consumption thanks to the calculator available on the app,” rejoices the director.
On the program of its many activities, the campaign is enriched with a scientific conference on sugars, walks, tastings of ice creams with less sugars and interactive stands. After Dry January, it’s time for the lovely sugar-free month of May.
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