Change4Life launch Sugar Smart app to tackle obesity in kids

A campaign is up and running, encouraging Kent parents to get “Sugar Smart” and take control of their children’s sugar intake.

Change4Life has been launched after new figures revealed that primary school children eat an estimated 5,500 sugar cubes a year – that’s the weight of an average five-year-old.

Currently, 22.5% of four to five-year-olds are overweight or obese in Kent, and that figure rises to 33% in 10 to 11-year-olds This means they are more likely to become obese adults who are more prone to a range of serious health problems, such as heart disease, some cancers and Type 2 diabetes.

A new Sugar Smart app has been launched nationally to help parents to see how much sugar there is in everyday food and drink.

The free app works by scanning the barcode of products and revealing the amount of total sugar it contains in cubes and grams.

Change4Life has also created an eye-opening short film, which warns parents about the danger of eating and drinking too much sugar, including becoming overweight and tooth decay.

'We’re encouraging parents across Kent to download the new Sugar Smart app and take control of the amount of sugar their family consumes'

KCC director of public health, Andrew Scott-Clark said: “Sugar is lurking in everyday food and drink, taking children well over the maximum recommended amount.

"We’re encouraging parents across Kent to download the new Sugar Smart app and take control of the amount of sugar their family consumes, to protect them from the health risks of having too much sugar.”

Five million Sugar Smart packs will be given away to primary school children and their families via schools, local authorities and retailers.

More details at www.nhs.uk/Change4Life