KDHS encourages residents to cut the sugar this Dental Health Week

Aug 4, 2020

AS PART of Dental Health Week, Kyabram District Health Service is encouraging residents to take a closer look at the products they buy from the supermarket.

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Figures show that the average Australian is consuming 14 teaspoons of sugar a day — more than double the maximum six teaspoons a day recommended by the World Health Organization.

We may brush our teeth twice a day, go for a walk or jog and opt for a handful of nuts instead of chocolate, but many are not aware that any good work can be undone by sugars lurking in the depths of many processed food items.

KDHS health promotion co-ordinator Danae Rush said the focus this week was on pulling back the sugary curtain to show what’s really in the food people eat and how this information can help improve dental hygiene.

“You might think that a little extra sugar here and there isn’t such a big deal, but the odds are that you are taking in far more than you realise,” she said.

“Local data also suggests that almost 18 per cent of residents consume sugar-sweetened soft drink daily. Further, 53 per cent of Campaspe residents are either overweight or obese.

“Dental Health Week this year is showing you what daily sugar consumption levels look like in relation to the food you eat, how to read a food label and showing you the names of the hidden sugars in many products that appear to be healthy.”

Visit the Dental health week website at http://www.ada.org.au for more information.