NHS Wales bans tea and coffee with sugar from vending machines
NHS Wales has announced that it will ban the sale of hot drinks with added sugar from hospital vending machines.
The ban is being introduced to encourage healthier dietary habits and promote good oral health. Representatives said that sugar has little nutritional value and can contribute to oral health problems including tooth decay.
Dr Nigel Carter, of the British Dental Health Foundation, has welcomed the news and praised NHS Wales for trying new ways to promote good oral health; however, he admits that it is impossible to expect people to give up sugar altogether and is instead urging people to cut down on sugar and think about their diet more carefully. Sugar weakens the enamel surfaces of the teeth and increases the amount of harmful bacteria in the mouth; this makes the teeth less resistant to tooth decay.
The ban on hot drinks with sugar from vending machines comes in the light of a health drive in schools across Wales; children across the country have been encouraged to stop having sugar in their drinks at break and mealtimes in a bid to encourage healthy eating habits, improve standards of oral health and reduce childhood obesity.
The Welsh Assembly has supported the new measures announced by NHS Wales; representatives said that the hospital should reflect a healthy and safe environment and should encourage people to eat healthier foods and drink water, rather than sugary drinks.
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