23 Apr 2018 New ‘Save Kids from Sugar’ launched in Liverpool
Public Health Liverpool have today launched their second wave of the ‘Save Kids from Sugar’ campaign to help parents reduce the amount of sugar their children consume in Liverpool.
The campaign was initially launched last year and focused on the sugar content of popular breakfast cereals and sugary drinks, following research that found many children were having their recommended daily allowance of sugar before they leave for school. Food Active were delighted to be involved in the campaign and it gained great media coverage from the local and national press.
This year, the campaign will focus on the sugar content of yogurts popular with children and Food Active were again delighted to support the development of the campaign. Despite yogurt being a healthy choice for children, analysis by the Liverpool Public Health Department has found that some pre-packaged flavoured yogurts can contain up to 4 cubes of sugar – for children aged 4-6 years old, that is almost their whole recommended daily allowance in just one sitting – forgetting all of the other foods and drinks they will consume that day.
The campaign comes as 23% of year 6 children in Liverpool are obese and almost 40% are overweight or obese. These statistics are even greater than the national average. Nationally, we are all consuming too much sugar and this is one of the many drivers that is causing weight gain in the population. We are in the midst of an obesity crisis and raising awareness of the sugar content of everyday foods such as yogurts and breakfast cereals in an important step towards helping parents make healthier, informed choices for their child’s diet.
The campaign is recommending parents stick to plain yogurts, including low fat Greek, natural or skyr versions, and add their own fresh fruit flavours to help provide their child with a much healthier snack or breakfast. On the website there are some fantastic and fun recipes you can try out with your child, so that they get all the healthy nutrients of yogurt but without all the added sugar found in pre-packaged yogurts.
Similar to last year, parents can log on to a the Save kids from sugar website and calculate how much sugar their children are consuming each day and get tips on healthier food options. There will also be community events, held in Supermarkets across the city, to promote the campaign to families across the city and free snack-pot sized tubs and recipe cards will be handed out to encourage families to swap unhealthy shop-brought yogurts for their own healthier versions.
Commenting on the campaign, Beth Bradshaw, and Nutritionist Project Officer at Food Active who helped out with the campaign said: “Yogurt is such a healthy choice for children as they grow and develop and is a great source of calcium and protein – nutrients and minerals that are essential to help promote healthy growth and development in children and young people.
Unfortunately, many parents aren’t aware of the staggering amounts of added sugar contained within popular children’s yogurts and they may be fooled into thinking they are providing their child with a healthy, nutritious snack or meal.
Just one flavoured yogurt can take children up to the daily recommended intake of added sugars, without parents even knowing. Building on the success of last year, this new wave of the Save kids from sugar campaign is just what parents need to help make healthier, more informed choices for their children. “
