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U.K. Change4Life Campaign Encourages Sugar Reduction

In one study, families cut sugar intake by 40% with simple swaps

ATLANTA (February 11, 2015) — A public awareness campaign launched in early January by Public Health England to help reduce sugar intake, particularly among children, has already gained more than 300,000 sign-ups in the first month following the launch. The campaign, called Change4Life, recommends four simple actions to reduce sugar intake, by giving children:

  • Plain cereal instead of sugar-sweetened cereal for breakfast;
  • Sugar-free or no-added-sugar drinks;
  • Reducing the sugar in after school snacks; and
  • Low-fat lower-sugar yogurt instead of ice cream.
According to Public Health England, making simple substitutions can make a large difference in intake. Therefore, the campaign is focused on making feasible recommendations for families to reduce sugar intake this year. Professor Kevin Fenton, National Director of Health and Wellbeing at Public Health England stated, “This campaign is about taking small steps to address this. We know from past campaigns that making simple swaps works and makes a real difference.”
When Public Health England teamed up with Netmums, one of the biggest parenting websites in the United Kingdom, and the University of Reading for a Family Sugar Challenge, 50 participating families cut their sugar intake by 40 percent from the simple swaps outlined in the program. More information about the results can be found here.
Change4Life includes calculators and online tools, including smartphone apps, to help families reach their goals. For more information on the campaign, visit the Change4Life website.
(Image Credit: GOV.UK)
faq2Do you have questions about low-calorie sweeteners? Want to learn more about maintaining a healthy lifestyle? You asked and we listened. Our resident Registered Dietitians answered the most popular questions about low-calorie sweeteners.

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