Campaign Urges Parents to Cut Down Children’s Sugar Intake to Reduce Tooth Decay Prevalence

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A new campaign has been launched by Public Health England to encourage parents to cut down their children’s sugar intake. The move comes after dental problems were found to be the most common reason for hospital treatment for children aged between 5 and 9 years old in 2012/2013.

The campaign is aimed at parents and encourages mothers and fathers to swap popular sugary treats and foods that contain hidden sugar  for healthier alternatives with lower sugar content.

While planning the campaign, representatives from Public Health England worked alongside researchers from the University of Reading and Netmums to devise a trial programme, which was aimed to reduce children’s sugar consumption. The trail programme involved 50 families and the average reduction in sugar intake was 40 per cent. The programme informed families about sugar swaps.

Professor Kevin Fenton, national director of health and wellbeing at Public Health England, said that the majority of people are consuming too much sugar and this is undoubtedly contributing to health issues in both children and adults, including increased risks of diabetes, heart disease, obesity and dental decay. The campaign aims to encourage people to make small changes that will reduce the amount of sugar they consume.

Parents are able to apply for a sugar swap information pack by visiting the Change4Life website.

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