January 03, 2017
Sugar targeted for Fizz Free Whanau
Maori public health advocacy group Hapai Te Hauora is encouraging whanau to cut out the sugary drinks this summer.
Its #FizzFreeWhānau campaign supports alternatives such as water or milk in place of fizz.
"We hope the campaign will catch on and extend beyond people's New Year's resolutions, but we know it’s not easy to change behaviours which might have been habit for a long time," says chief executive Lance Norman.
"We want to capture everyone's attention while they're at the beach and spending time with whānau so mokopuna, mums, dads, grandparents and cousins can all support each other to make healthy choices."
Campaign advisor Dr Lance O’Sullivan says there is more than enough evidence on the links between sugary drinks and obesity and oral health.
Our Maori and Pacific whanau are particularly affected with higher rates of obesity compared to other ethnic groups in Aotearoa. The most recent New Zealand Health Survey found 15 percent of Maori children and 30 percent of Pasifika children are obese compared with 11 percent of the general population.”
More information, encouragement and prizes throughout the month of January from #FizzFreeWhānau: www.hapai.co.nz/ffw
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