“Harmless habit” contributes to childhood obesity

Take it from someone who has been there—childhood obesity is no joke.

It’s associated with serious declines in mental health, leading to depression…

And physical health, increasing risk of high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.

Worse yet, one “harmless habit” SKYROCKETS childhood obesity rates among your grandchildren’s generation.

Are YOU contributing to that risk each time your loved ones visit?

Let’s take a look…

A simple act could SAVE thousands of children

The biggest source of SUGAR in kids is through sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), like juice and soda.

So, in an attempt to tackle childhood obesity, the U.K. introduced a sugar tax on the soft drinks industry.

The goal? To limit excess consumption and, hopefully, encourage manufacturers to reformulate popular SSBs, reducing the sugar content.

The tax was added in April 2018. Then, using data from the National Child Measurement Programe, they looked at obesity trends in over one million kids.

Ultimately, they uncovered a promising result among girls aged 10- to 11-years old…

They experienced an eight percent reduction in obesity rates. That translates to more than 5,200 young girls, just 19 months after the sugar tax was adopted.

Not only that, but the reduction jumped to nine percent among children in the lowest socioeconomic areas—where the most SSBs are consumed.

That’s quite a feat that we haven’t witnessed before, all from a simple tax!

Recognize and ACT

Now, if you’re a regular reader, you already know I’ve been advocating for a sugar tax on this side of the pond for decades.

I mean, every other sin is taxed—alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana—so why does sugar get a free ride?! For whatever reason, big businesses refuse to comply with a tax like this here in the states.

In fact, when NYC tried to implement something similar, it was killed in the courts. A triumph for Big Business… but what about our grandchildren?

When I wrote my first book, Feed Your Kids Well, childhood obesity was prevalent. But now, 20 years later? It’s SOARING out of control.

So it’s high time that we recognize the problem and do something about it.

There are many factors that go into what our grandchildren choose to drink. (Yes, marketing is a factor here.) But here’s what YOU can do, with or without a sugar tax…

Offer healthy choices. I generally recommend drinking half your body weight in ounces of water each day. But I understand some kids may find this, well, “boring.”

So—jazz it up! Ask them to choose their favorite fruits to add to “boring” water. (A few slices of lemon or lime go a long way in adding flavor, but you can also used crushed strawberries, cantaloupe, pulverized cucumber, mint, basil, and more.) Maybe you even give the concoction a “cutesy” name!

And NEVER fall for those “sports drinks,” sugar-laden juices, or pre-packaged, flavored waters.

Because at the end of the day, consuming too many sugary drinks contributes to obesity at ANY age… and that obesity leads to illness and even death.

I’ve said it a million times and I will say it again, #SUGARKILLS.

Source:

“NEWS: ‘Sugar Tax’ Prevented Thousands of Girls Becoming Obese.” Medscape UK, 01/27/2023. (medscape.co.uk/viewarticle/sugar-tax-prevented-thousands-girls-becoming-obese-2023a10001pj)