Salford are taking up arms against high sugar intake among children, joining forces with GULP’s campaign to make the city’s kids #SugarSmart. 

Co-ordinator of the GULP challenge, Beth Bradshaw explained more about the campaign: “Salford council are commissioning a pilot campaign to provide them with the resources and materials like water bottles to take to school, leaflets and PSHE tool kits so it has lesson plans for teachers, all educational [material].

We are very proud of Year8 @StPatsRC giving up sugary drinks for the Salford 21 days challenge #SugarSmartSalford @gulpNOW @SalfordCouncil @SalfordCCG @wuu2salford @SalfordLeisure @food_active pic.twitter.com/q5sVepuv5Q

— PublicHealthSalford (@PHealthSalford) January 29, 2018

“We encourage children to move away from sugary drinks all together. Drink more water and low-fat milk and obviously diet drinks to start with, but in the long term just move consumption away from fizzy drinks altogether.”

Cutting down sugary drinks and replacing them with healthier alternatives, such as water or milk, can be an easy way to reduce sugar intake. #GiveUpLovingPop #SugarSmartSalford @gulpNOW https://t.co/llag5SsfEs pic.twitter.com/FSrq79iZbt

— Salford City Council (@SalfordCouncil) January 25, 2018

Miss Bradshaw discussed the importance of carrying out this campaign at this time and the severe effects that are often ignored.

“A new study out recently shows that 170 children a day are going to hospital to get their rotten teeth out.”

“Teenagers are the largest consumers, they consume 216ml a day on average and as we all know, sugar can lead to an array of unpleasant health conditions in the short-term and long-term.

“Short-term effects may be depending on the sugar content of the drinks and caffeine content. They can experience poor concentration and sugar spikes, where they get a surge of energy.

“It can affect children’s concentration which is really important in school but in the long-term, you’ve got much more unpleasant things such as weight gain, type two diabetes and also the big one at the moment-which is poor dental health. A new study out recently shows that 170 children a day are going to hospital to get their rotten teeth out and a lot of dentists are contributing that to excess consumption of sugar.

“In the long term these conditions will stay with you for life, as a lot are irreversible.”

She also added that water “has always and will always be the best form of hydration” so we decided to take a trip onto the streets of Salford to speak to locals about how much sugar they consume every day.

#EnergyDrinks contain excessive amounts of #sugar and #caffeine, which can have several implications on children's health & wellbeing @Jeremy_Hunt #NotForChildren #GiveUpLovingPop @FoodRev @jamieoliver @actiononsugar @fuse @robinHEG pic.twitter.com/KcVkOQT5KG

— #GiveUpLovingPop (@gulpNOW) January 5, 2018

For more information on the campaign and to get involved with making Salford visit the #SugarSmart.