Fizz Free February is happening in County Durham for the first time!
Launched by Southwark Council in 2018 and now rolled out nationally and supported by Sugar Smart, Fizz Free February is a great way to reduce sugar intake by cutting out fizzy drinks.
Latest data from Public Health England shows that sugar makes up 13.5% of 4 to 10 year-olds and 14.1% of teenagers daily calorie intake respectively, while the recommended daily limit is no more than 5%.
Each year in County Durham, around 11,000 children in reception (4-5 years) and year 6 (10-11 years) are weighed and measured as part of the National Child Measurement Programme. In 2017/18, in County Durham, 25% of reception age children (4-5 year olds) and 37.1% of Year 6 pupils (10-11 year olds) were overweight or obese. That means around 3400 children, over 100 classrooms, in these year groups alone, are overweight or obese.
Fizzy drinks are the largest single source of sugar for children aged 11-18, and they provide an average of 29% of daily sugar intake. Cutting out fizzy drinks is an easy way to reduce sugar intake. Some of the benefits of going Fizz Free are:
By going fizz free this February, it can help you on your way to drinking less sugary drinks for the rest of the year too but be sure to make healthy swaps by swapping sugary fizzy drinks, energy drinks and juice for lower-fat milk, water, sugar-free or no added-sugar drinks.
To join Fizz Free February, PLEDGE NOW at
https://www.southwark.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/public-health/for-the-public/fizz-free-february
