Almost half of Australians consume sugar on autopilot, and small swaps could help break the habit

Equal’s new No Compromise report reveals the swap habits that could help the nearly two-thirds of Australians who’ve abandoned their health changes in less than four weeks

SYDNEY, Oct. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Australians are actively trying to live healthier lives but a new national report suggests the biggest barrier to making healthier habits stick may not be a lack of discipline but the way we approach change in the first place.

The No Compromise report commissioned by Equal found that 62 per cent of Australians have given up on a health change earlier than planned with more than one in four saying it’s happened several times.

And for those who have given up, the first few weeks appear to be a major hurdle with nearly two-thirds saying their most recent abandoned change lasted four weeks or less.

The struggle is particularly pronounced among younger Australians, with 76 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds and 71 per cent of 25 to 34-year-olds saying they have stopped a health change earlier than intended.

Leading Australian habit expert, and Assistant Professor at Bond University, Dr Gina Cleo said the findings challenge the common assumption that failed health goals simply come down to a lack of discipline.

"This report busts one of the biggest myths in health behaviour change, that people fail because they lack discipline," Dr Gina said.

"Australians aren’t simply lacking willpower; they’re mistiming their expectations and choosing all-or-nothing paths that were never built to last.

"The ones making it stick aren’t cutting things out, they’re making changes small enough to fit the routine they already have," Dr Gina said.

That tendency to act on autopilot is particularly apparent when it comes to sugar with 46 per cent of Australians agreeing they consume sugar without thinking, while 39 per cent say they can start consuming it before realising they’re doing it.

"For many Australians, sugar is as much a habit-loop problem as a craving problem," Dr Gina said.

"It’s a cue, like the 3pm slump, the after-dinner routine or the cup of tea. It triggers the behaviour automatically, before conscious decision-making even gets involved.

"You can’t ‘willpower’ your way out of a behaviour you’re not consciously choosing in the first place. The fix isn’t more restriction, it’s interrupting or redesigning the cue," Dr Gina said.

Rather than relying on restriction, the report found that Australians favour more manageable approaches to change.

51 per cent of Australians say making small changes and cutting back has a better success rate than giving something up completely.

Dr Gina said, realistic changes that work within an existing lifestyle can be easier to maintain rather than trying to overhaul a routine altogether, and the report found that more than half of Australians are intuitively doing the right thing.

"Small, incremental changes are far more resilient because they don’t rely on a single moment of perfect discipline; they get absorbed into a routine until they stop requiring conscious effort at all.

"All-or-nothing change is fragile, one bad day feels like total failure, so people quit," Dr Gina said.

For those looking to cut back, that doesn’t have to mean giving up the sweetness or ritual altogether. By swapping to a low-calorie sweetener can keep the familiar routine intact without compromising on taste.

The No Compromise report was commissioned by Equal to explore how Australians approach healthier change, the everyday habits that can be difficult to shift and what makes healthier behaviours easier to maintain.

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Research methodology

Antenna, an independent consumer research agency, conducted an online AntennaPoll survey of 2,042 Australians between 16 and 22 September 2026. Respondents were sourced using an accredited online research access panel and data was weighted for representation against the 2021 ABS Census.

About Equal

As Australia’s No. 1 low calorie sweetener, Equal knows the importance of providing a great sweet tasting solution for our customers, and we believe you can enjoy all the sweet things in life…without all the calories, of course!

For over 40 years, Equal has proudly been a part of "sweet moments" around the world, with millions of people enjoying the sweet taste of Equal in the familiar blue pack to sweeten their favourite drinks, fruits, cereals and recipes.

We aim to provide customers with choice and convenience with our range of low calorie sweeteners including tablets, sachets and an easy to pour jar.

About Dr Gina Cleo

Dr Gina Cleo is a habit change and wellbeing expert, dietitian, researcher, author and speaker, with a PhD from Bond University. She specialises in helping people understand the science behind habits and make positive, sustainable changes to their health and wellbeing.

Beginning her career as a dietitian, Dr Cleo saw first-hand how difficult it can be for people to turn good intentions into lasting habits. This led her to pursue research into behaviour and habit change, exploring how small, practical changes can have a meaningful impact on the way we eat, sleep, work and live.

Today, Dr Cleo translates the science of habit change into practical strategies that help people make healthier choices that fit into everyday life – without relying on short-term fixes or all-or-nothing approaches.

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