A new study has revealed some worrying details about what New Zealanders pour down their throats.
The release of New Zealand's first nutritional study targeting softdrinks puts New Zealand as the 11th highest softdrink consumer in the world and ties that to the fact that one in three New Zealand children are either overweight or obese.
Softdrinks are available everywhere and according to public health specialist Rob Quigley that's a major problem. The report reveals softdrinks are one of the leading causes of child obesity.
Quigley says children who are overweight or obese will end up as overweight and obese adults.
"That will literally mean that they will die nine to 10 years earlier than they otherwise would do if they were of healthy weight," he says.
The report says New Zealand's softdrink consumption has rocketed up 45% in the last five years and now makes up one quarter of children's sugar intake.
Dr Rachael Taylor from Otago University says it is clear there is a link between softdrinks and obesity.
"The higher the intake, the higher risk of high body weight...the big thing is availability. Everywhere you look, there's an opportunity to get a sugar-sweetened drink," says Taylor.
Quigley says the environment has changed with more product advertising and marketing to children.
Softdrinks are big business - Coca-Cola products are the country's seventh most popular grocery item and produced nearly $90 million of turnover last year.
Coca-Cola says it is taking a proactive approach to the report, acknowledging the link between sugar content and obesity.
Aimee Driscoll from Coca-Cola Amatil says they are not afraid to stand up and say that.
"We're not defensive of this issue, we want to engage and we want to help provide solutions," says Driscoll.
Solutions include promoting their diet and water products, which Quigley says are essential in children's diets.
"Water and trim milk, we really want people to consume as much of those as possible," says Quigley.
Waitemata Health Board promoted the new guidelines with a newspaper advertisement, but had to change the imagery because Coca-Cola complained it looked too much like their bottle.
