How to Encourage Low Sugar Consumption Among Primary School Students?

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Sugar Consumption as a Serious Problem

Sugar, or sucrose, is a natural molecule usually produced by plants.1 Chemically, it is a disaccharide consisting of glucose and fructose links. Since ancient times, humanity has learned to use this white crystalline substance as a food additive, and today sugar is an integral component of the daily diet.

Sugar is Found in Many Foods

In fact, sucrose does the function of enhancing the taste of the product in the same way that salt does. For this reason, producers remarkably often add large quantities of sugar to products to stimulate the food dependency of the consumer. However, one should not be mistaken: sugar as a food component can be a quite natural element. Thus, the consumption of natural sugar is not a severe problem.

Of primary importance is the recognition of the fact that sugar itself can be part of the natural medium of the product, as it is inherent to grapes, apples or carrots, or an artificial additive. Producers in the food industry often add too much sugar to their food, which is a big problem for several reasons at once. In particular, added sugar: causes food dependency, changes the natural taste of the product, leads to serious diseases.

How Big a Problem is It

Average Consumption Has Increased

The amount of sugar consumed increases every year: the weekly rate of an American from 1822 is reached by a modern human in about 7 hours.

Age Dependency Is Detected

It was shown that at least in childhood, there is a direct correlation between sugar consumption and age: the older the child is, the more sugar he consumes.

The Norm Is Exceeded

Although the daily rate is nine teaspoons, even drinking one portion of a carbonated drink may exceed this value.

Moreover, statistics on this issue do not seem comforting. According to data, the amount of sugar consumed by humankind is increasing annually, and with the same dynamics, by the middle of the 21st century, the average American menu should be based only on sugar. It is known that eating habits begin to take hold in early childhood, and additional studies have shown that a schoolchild, on average, consumes more sugar than a preschooler. These results may indicate that with admission to an educational organization, a child experiences more freedom of decision-making and less parental control. In other words, it means that it is necessary to investigate the problem of childrens consumption of added sugar in primary school and focus the project on this level of education.

On average, a child should consume no more than 6 tsp. of sugar per day. Nevertheless, is it so?

The presence of sugar can be surprising, even where it does not seem to be. Whenever a learner buys low-fat yogurt, he or she becomes a hostage to the idea that it is a portion of diet food, which is equivalent to no sugar. However, the situation is reversed: as shown in the Table on the slide, added sugar might not be found in the most apparent products. If one imagines that a childs diet includes all of the above positions, it is easy to estimate how much more sugar a child will eat compared to the established rate. Thus, children often neglect the study of packaging and take the brightest, richest, and most delicious foods.

Added Sugar Associated with Diseases

Added sugar inside the food itself can cause some diseases in the child. First of all, it concerns endocrine system disorders, which have the potential to lead to diabetes or obesity.6,7,8 It is also known that children who consume large amounts of sugar suffer from caries.7 Some studies have also shown that sugar consumption is associated with diseases of the cardiovascular system, some cancers, and liver diseases.

Formulation of SMART target

A decrease in the amount of sugar added to primary school-age children.

Quantitative: in portions of sugar that was consumed.

Qualitative: in the estimates given by children.

Although it is not an easy goal to change eating habits, it is quite achievable.

Taking into account the seriousness of the consequences and the care and health of the nation, this is an essential step for the younger generation.

It is expected to take about one month to evaluate the first results.

Preparing propaganda and information materials for children and developing the course.

Evaluation of the number of prepared materials, compliance with the established deadlines.

This is the achievable goal, classified as methodological and pedagogical work.

Without appropriate materials, the program will be useless: the goal is relevant.

The preliminary preparation stage requires approximately one week.

Results: What to Expect

Decrease in sugar level

It is expected that one month after the launch of the project, total sugar consumption among children will decrease.

Objective perception

Trained children will be aware of the dangers of added sugar and potential health threats.

Better health

It is likely that children will improve their skin condition, lose weight, and feel better.

Work is Planned in These Areas

To simplify organizational processes, all work should be divided into three sectors. These are parallel procedures executed independently of each other, which means that each of them requires a supervisor.

Educational Program

Methodical plan development.
Conference or course for schoolchildren.
Conducting regular training.
Diagnostic of knowledge through tests.

The central goals of training programs are to transfer and consolidate in students the necessary objective knowledge about sugar: classification, benefits, and harm.9 It is necessary to achieve a result at which a student a month after the launch of the project could independently talk about sugar, demonstrating an understanding of all aspects of the problem.

Rules Setting

Discussing the importance of the rules.
Proposing specific bans.
Supply of variations, modifications.
Daily performance control.

A serious step is to discuss with children the rules that they should follow throughout the project. It is necessary to create an environment in which children will feel a competitive spirit, fight for progress, and feel involved.

Perhaps, rulemaking is the central part of the project.

Children, who are not yet wholly independent and independent individuals, find themselves under the influence of parents and authoritative adults. At the same time, it is known that children do not always go for the established decisions but instead act contrary to prohibitions. Taking these facts into consideration, it is necessary to develop a program aimed at educating students in a competitive sports spirit. The mission of this direction is to encourage the total or partial rejection of added sugar. It can be realized, for example, through a marathon where children limit their consumption of sugar and record their achievements. The child notes how many hours, days, or weeks he or she has lasted and which foods he or she could completely ignore. Probably, for such achievements, a child can receive competitive points.

Health Monitoring

Assistance in the transition period.
Three-day skin assessments.
Child health and wellness questionnaire.
Child weighing and sleep control.

An important direction in the proposed program is to control the state of health during the failure or reduction of added sugar. It is known that this period is associated with a number of psychological and physiological changes, so the evaluation of dynamics is an important milestone.

Diagnostics of a childs health state is an integral part of the project: given the apparent connection between sugar consumption and skin condition, attentiveness, and concentration of a pupil, refusing this supplement may cause an initial adverse reaction.10 A qualified specialist should monitor changes in the psychological and physiological state of the child and make decisions about the possibil.

Reference

What Is Sugar? The Sugar Association. 2020. Web.

Shahbandeh, M. Global sugar consumption. Statista. 2020. Web.

Gaille, B. 29 Awesome Sugar Consumption Statistics. Brandon Gaille. 2017. Web.

How much sugar is too much? Heart. 2020. Web.

West, H. 18 Foods and Drinks That Are Surprisingly High in Sugar. Healthline. 2019. Web.

Rippe JM, Angelopoulos TJ. Relationship between added sugars consumption and chronic disease risk factors: Current understanding. Nutrients. 2016;(11):697-700.

Guerra, J. 18 What happens to your body and brain when you stop eating sugar. INSIDER. Web.

Cimino, C. 4 things that happen to your body when you cut out sugar. Miss Domesticated. 2020. Web.

Migala, J. 30 Sneaky Foods Filled With Sugar. GH. 2017. Web.

Wölnerhanssen BK, Meyer-Gerspach AC. Health effects of sugar consumption and possible alternatives. Therapeutische Umschau, Revue therapeutique. 2019;76(3):111-117.

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