Liverpool Health Officials Start Campaign to Educate Public on Health Risks of Sugary Beverages


Dental restorationNew research has revealed that one in every four British children has tooth decay, and one child out of five needs a rotten tooth removed.

In light of these findings, public health officials in Liverpool, England, have launched a campaign to make parents more aware of the hidden sugar their children are consuming.

Even though there has been a decrease in the amount of tooth decay within the past decade, British children are entering school with extreme cases of dental issues.

Moreover, dentists say these dental health problems are entirely preventable.

The city of Liverpool has been experiencing the most severe cases of dental hygiene, as more than one-third of children have tooth decay.

Additionally, health experts predict that 2,000 children in the city will have a tooth extracted before the age of five.

Public Health Liverpool started their campaign, Is your child’s sweet tooth harming their health?, earlier this week. They hope to drive public awareness on how sugary drinks can negatively impact a child’s overall health.

They focus on sports drinks, fruit juices, and carbonated sodas.

Some popular culprits include Lucozade, an carbonated energy drink that boats 15.5 sugar cubes per each 16.9 oz bottle, and Coca-Cola which has the equivalent of 13.5 sugar cubes per bottle.

Drinks that many perceive to be healthy topped the list as well. Tropicana orange juice has 7.5 sugar cubes in each 11 oz bottle, and Volvic flavored water has almost 6 sugar cubes in their 18 oz containers.

Health experts recommend children only consume between five to seven cubes of sugar for their maximum daily allowance.

This campaign is the first of its kind. Director of Public Health Liverpool Dr. Sandra Davies reports to BBC News that they are “the first local authority in the country to name how much sugar is in specific brands [to help people] make healthier choices.”

The council has been putting large graphic displays in various hospitals and children’s centers around Liverpool.

Tooth decay in childhood can lead to detrimental social affects once they become adults. in fact, more than 99% of adults surveyed believe a healthy smile is a valuable social asset.


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