Blackpool Youngsters Give Up Fizzy Pop in a Bit to Cut Sugar Intake
A group of youngsters from Blackpool have taken part in an attempt to give up fizzy drinks in a bit to cut their sugar intake. The GULP (Give Up Loving Pop) challenge is designed to show young people how easy and beneficial it is to cut down on their intake of fizzy drinks.
Pupils in Year 8 at St George’s School were recently visited by nurse Hellen Kellet, who informed the group about the sugar content of some of their favourite drinks. The 21 day GULP challenge aims to show youngsters the benefits of giving up fizzy drinks and encourage them to consume less sugar in the future.
Many of the pupils admitted that they have at least one can of pop per day and while this might not seem very much, when you take into consideration that some drinks contain up to 20 teaspoons of sugar, which is four times the recommended daily intake, it’s easy to see why experts are trying to curb sugar intake in younger people.
Blackpool has one of the highest childhood obesity rates and also performs badly in national league tables for oral health.
Dr Arif Pajpura, director of public health in Blackpool, said that there is a clear problem with sugar consumption in the area and this is undoubtedly contributing to high rates of dental decay and childhood obesity. The aim of campaigns like the GULP challenge is to reduce sugar consumption and teach children healthier eating habits.
The challenge is based on the notion that it takes around 21 days to break a habit. After 3 weeks has elapsed, the group of 15 twelve and thirteen year olds admitted that they had found it tough to go 21 days without fizzy drinks. 80 percent managed to complete the challenge and there were positive signs that some would try to drink less in the future, however not a single volunteer pledged to give up for good.
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