Grenoside Cubs say they’re “sweet enough”

GRENOSIDE Cubs have become the first scout group to take part in the Sheffield is Sweet Enough’ campaign – a public health initiative launched this month by Sheffield City Council.

Boys and girls aged between eight and 10 participated in a hands-on workshop which aimed to offer an understanding of how much sugar is too much and the impact this can have on their health.

The initiative aims to provide information to local people on the effects of sugar and to give them the tools they need to make educated choices that support their family’s health. It will do this by increasing awareness of the negative health impacts of consuming too much sugar and the positive actions that can be taken to combat them.

Throughout the session the young people had to work out what the daily limit was for their age group and how much sugar was in common foods such as spaghetti bolognese sauce and tomato ketchup. They were taught the difference between hidden and added sugars and were given tips and advice on how to swap sugary foods for healthier options.

Grenoside Akela, Sam Caldwell, said: “Reducing the amount of sugar we give to our children helps to keep their weight under control and prevent them from obesity in the future. A healthy diet has a positive impact on their quality of life and can even help them live longer. It’s great to be part of a campaign that encourages young people and their parents to make some healthy changes for their future.”

Launched this month, ‘Sheffield is Sweet Enough’ aims to reduce obesity and tooth decay in children and adults over the next five years. It is being supported by a wide range of partners including the NHS, healthcare professionals, Sheffield’s universities, Learn Sheffield, Weight Management Services, colleges, Trading Standards, and the voluntary sector.

In Sheffield, almost one in four children are overweight or obese when they start school and one in three children aged 10 to 11 are overweight or obese. There are also more school children in Sheffield being admitted to hospital for painful tooth axtractions than ever before.

The recommended daily limit of added sugar for seven to 11 year olds is 24 grams, or 5.5 teaspoons. There are around 13 teaspoons in one bottle of cola – that’s more than twice the amount a young person should be consuming in one day! Cutting down on sugary drinks is one of the best ways to quickly reduce the amount of sugar in children's diets.

Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges being faced. Overweight and obese children and young people are at an increased risk of developing various physical and mental health problems, including diabetes, heart conditions and depression.

There are many different reasons that can lead to obesity, but people often focus on fat content of food rather than looking at the amount of sugar being consumed. Surprisingly, sugary fizzy drinks, energy drinks, iced coffees, and even some flavoured waters can contain high amounts of sugar that can put children's health at risk.

Over the coming months Sheffield schools and guiding and scouting associations will be encouraged to take part in the activities to help raise awareness of the dangers of eating too much sugar.

To find out more, visit www. sheffieldissweetenough.org