April 01, 2016
Onus on schools to tackle sugar
The Government is resisting calls to follow the lead of the Conservative Government in the United Kingdom and impose a sugar tax, but Education Minister Hekia Parata still wants to find ways to discourage children from sugary drinks.
She says her ministry is working with the Health Ministry on joint action on childhood obesity, and sugar is one of the fastest way to grow unhealthy fat.
She’s encouraging schools to stop selling or even allowing sugary drinks on school grounds, and instead encouraging tamariki to drink water.
"This is an opportunity for schools and parent communities to really say this is damaging to our kids health, their teeth. We know we have high levels of caries amongst our children and tamariki Maori. Drinking water instead of guzzling sugary crap will be better for them and for all of us," Minister Parata says.
Copyright © 2016, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com