The province of British Columbia launched a small program named Sip Smart, in the hopes of educating youth about the amounts of empty calories that are in sugared drinks such as pop and slushies. Patti-Jean Naylor, who is an assistant professor of exercise science, plus physical and health education, is now looking at the before and after data from 500 participants ranging from Grades 4-6. The children filled out questionnaires aimed at uncovering their thoughts and knowledge regarding healthy eating. The children were also weighed in confidentiality before and after the study.
It is thought that educating children about sugared drinks is the single best chance to cut child obesity rates, and the program is hoping the results show a decline in the participants sugared drinks consumption.
Facts such as a normal sized can of soft drink contains the equivalent of 10 cubes of sugar, while a 1 litre slushie has the equivalent of 24 sugar cubes were presented in the program in the hopes of enlightening the kids about how empty the calories really are. You don’t feel full after drinking pop or a slushie and there is no nutritional value to them. Studies have shown that 50% of Canadian youth are drinking soda’s on a daily basis, with the average amount consumed being 3/4 of a litre.