Sweet Deception: An Interactive Demonstration to Expose Hidden Sugars and Empower Health Education
1
The Noakes Foundation, Cape Town, South Africa
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A2812
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Excessive sugar intake is a major contributor to obesity, diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases in South Africa, particularly among low-income populations with limited access to nutrition education. Despite growing awareness, many individuals remain unaware of the hidden sugars present in everyday foods and beverages. Eat Better South Africa (EBSA), a community outreach initiative of The Noakes Foundation, has developed a practical, visual “sugar demonstration” to illustrate sugar content in common products and encourage informed dietary choices. This interactive session adapts EBSA’s proven community method to train public health practitioners, educators, and clinicians in a hands-on tool for nutrition education and behaviour change.
METHODS:
This one-hour interactive session will begin with a short overview of the evidence linking sugar consumption to metabolic disease. Facilitators will then conduct a live sugar demonstration, visually comparing the sugar content of familiar foods and drinks using physical sugar displays. Participants will be invited to engage with the presenters throughout the demonstration by estimating sugar amounts, asking questions, and reflecting on commonly consumed products. The session will highlight key communication techniques and show how the demonstration can be adapted for different audiences and settings such as schools, clinics, or workplaces.
RESULTS:
The EBSA sugar demonstration has been implemented in over 50 community workshops across South Africa, consistently improving participants’ understanding of hidden sugars and prompting healthier food choices. Evaluation feedback indicates that visual learning and active participation enhance recall and motivation to change behaviour.
CONCLUSIONS:
This session equips participants with an evidence-based, low-cost, and engaging educational method to communicate the health impacts of sugar. By transforming abstract nutrition concepts into tangible, memorable experiences, the EBSA sugar demonstration empowers educators to inspire lasting dietary change within their communities.
Excessive sugar intake is a major contributor to obesity, diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases in South Africa, particularly among low-income populations with limited access to nutrition education. Despite growing awareness, many individuals remain unaware of the hidden sugars present in everyday foods and beverages. Eat Better South Africa (EBSA), a community outreach initiative of The Noakes Foundation, has developed a practical, visual “sugar demonstration” to illustrate sugar content in common products and encourage informed dietary choices. This interactive session adapts EBSA’s proven community method to train public health practitioners, educators, and clinicians in a hands-on tool for nutrition education and behaviour change.
METHODS:
This one-hour interactive session will begin with a short overview of the evidence linking sugar consumption to metabolic disease. Facilitators will then conduct a live sugar demonstration, visually comparing the sugar content of familiar foods and drinks using physical sugar displays. Participants will be invited to engage with the presenters throughout the demonstration by estimating sugar amounts, asking questions, and reflecting on commonly consumed products. The session will highlight key communication techniques and show how the demonstration can be adapted for different audiences and settings such as schools, clinics, or workplaces.
RESULTS:
The EBSA sugar demonstration has been implemented in over 50 community workshops across South Africa, consistently improving participants’ understanding of hidden sugars and prompting healthier food choices. Evaluation feedback indicates that visual learning and active participation enhance recall and motivation to change behaviour.
CONCLUSIONS:
This session equips participants with an evidence-based, low-cost, and engaging educational method to communicate the health impacts of sugar. By transforming abstract nutrition concepts into tangible, memorable experiences, the EBSA sugar demonstration empowers educators to inspire lasting dietary change within their communities.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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