Courtney Gaine, Ph.D., R.D., President and CEO for the Sugar Association in Washington, D.C., discusses consumer education, health trends and the evolving role of sugar in baking
As the President and CEO of the Sugar Association, what are your primary responsibilities, and how do you ensure that the association makes a significant impact on the industry?
The Sugar Association serves as the scientific voice of the US sugar industry, representing sugar beet and sugar cane growers, processors, and refiners. I am a dietitian and scientist, so the onus falls on me to ensure we provide evidence-based information to help consumers, health professionals, educators, and policymakers understand sugar, its production and functions, and how it fits into healthy dietary patterns.
Can you elaborate on the mission and vision of the Sugar Association and how it supports the bakery industry in particular?
At the Sugar Association, we take an active, evidence-based approach to enhancing consumer understanding and confidence in the role sugar plays in a nutritious, balanced, and enjoyable diet.
Our consumer research shows that consumers’ confidence in sugar increases when they know where real sugar comes from, what functions it plays in foods beyond its sweet taste, and what expert guidance recommends about how much sugar can fit into a daily diet. From whole grain and high-fibre breads to decadent chocolate cakes, sugar plays many important roles in baked goods, and educating about these lesser-known roles is something we focus on, particularly with educators and health professionals like dietitians.
The Sugar Association has been a long-time member of the Home Baking Association, a group whose mission is to inspire the next generation of bakers. I served as President of the Board of Directors from 2019 to 2022 and remain active as a member of the Board. It’s a role I’m proud of and one that truly supports one of our key messages – “Life is sweet; keep it balanced.”
How does the Sugar Association advocate for and educate the public about sugar?
Advocating for evidence-based policies about sugar and educating key audiences has never been more important, and it has never required more commitment and investment of time and resources. There are a lot of tightly held beliefs that have brought us to where we are today, and inserting facts into the dialogue that challenge those beliefs is difficult.
For decades, there has been a hyper-focus on restricting added sugars consumption, but with added sugars consumption down around 30% over the past 20 years, the evidence clearly shows that this narrow focus is not improving overall diets or reducing obesity and diet-related diseases, which continue to rise. That fact is hard for many people to believe.
The US government has a very full policy agenda that unfortunately seems to continue the same outdated approach of singling out added sugars without addressing consumers’ overall calorie intake and diet quality. The Sugar Association provides comments and participates in public consultations, providing evidence that supports focusing nutrition policy on the top sources of added sugars (e.g. sugar-sweetened beverages) that do not provide positive nutrients or contribute to improving diet quality.
Other sources of added sugars (e.g., whole grain breads and cereals, sugar-sweetened yoghurt) are associated with improved intake of positive nutrients and overall higher diet quality. Understanding different sources of added sugars and their contributions to diets is also a key element of our resources for health professionals, educators, and consumers themselves. The Sugar Association provides a wide range of lesson plans for educators – from lessons on photosynthesis in sugar beets and sugar cane to facts about sugar intake – with options tailored to different grades and skill levels.
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