By Christian Njoku
A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) Child Care and Adult Protection Initiative (CCAPI) has taken its campaign against excess artificial sugar consumption to schools.
This was disclosed by Ms Akpana Betiang, Project Officer of CCAPI during a school health Project in Calabar aimed at sensitising students and the school authorities on healthy eating habits in the school environment.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the engagement which held at the Government Girls Secondary School Calabar, had as its theme: “promoting school health: catch them young.”
Betiang stated that they were engaging the students to help them understand the dangers of excessive artificial sugar consumption early, which was a way of catching them Young.
She said the whole idea was to help curb some of the sugar related diseases that used to affect the elderly more in the past but was gradually becoming common among young people in the nation.
“We are not saying sugar is bad, all we are saying is that there is natural and artificial sugar, while urging Nigerians to drastically reduce artificial sugar intake which is used in most of our beverages, snacks and fast foods.
“We need the children to understand that if they must take sugar it is better to take natural sugar found in fruits and other natural food because they need their health both today and in the future to be wealthy.
Speaking further, the project officer appealed to parents to desist from the habit of giving their wards money to buy whatever they wanted in schools and rather cook their food at home while giving the children fruits instead of soda drinks filled with artificial sugar.
“Those days we considered ailments like high blood pressure, diabetes among others as ailments of the aged but it is no longer so, as more and more young people are being affected and are even dying from these diseases.
“This is due to our change in lifestyle, we no longer eat real food like our forefathers did but processed food filled with artificial sugar and we are now more sedentary, the earlier we start addressing these habits amongst our children the better for them.
On her part, Miss Patricia Ochiche, a Nurse from the General Hospital, Calabar who spoke to the children on the dangers of excessive artificial sugar consumption said sugar was needed in the body for energy but must be taken in moderation.
Ochiche told the students to as much as possible avoid artificial sugar and take more natural sugar, still in moderation.
“Apart from other issues, excessive sugar intake affects the hormones of the girls causing her cramps and irregular menstruation,” she said.
NAN also reports that the event which
granted opportunity for free screening for blood sugar, blood pressure, weight among others. had in attendance students of the Special Needs Secondary School, Calabar and officials from the Ministries of Education, Health and Women Affairs.
(NAN)