Hawaii Department of Health launches ‘Sweet Lies!’ campaign

HONOLULU — A not too long ago launched public service announcement goals to tell dad and mom and caregivers that sweetened fruit drinks marketed to keiki can comprise simply as a lot sugar as soda.

The Hawaii Division of Well being’s “Candy Lies!” marketing campaign invitations a more in-depth take a look at the beverage business’s misleading advertising and marketing methods that depict photographs of fruit alongside phrases similar to “juice,” “pure” and “100% vitamin C” that mislead dad and mom into pondering the drinks are wholesome when the sugar content material can result in tooth decay, early weight acquire and contribute to diet-related ailments, together with diabetes, just like the results of soda.

The DOH information launch cites Hawaii’s Younger Youngsters Well being Survey that exhibits 75% of Hawaii keiki devour a number of sweetened fruit drinks, sports activities drinks, power drinks or tea drinks every day.

Suggestions from focus teams consisting of fogeys and grandparents helped develop the “Candy Lies!” marketing campaign. Most knew that sodas are too sugary, however had been unaware that sweetened fruit juice can comprise simply as a lot sugar.

“It was evident throughout our focus teams that oldsters and grandparents try to make wholesome choices for his or her keiki,” stated Lola Irvin, Division of Well being administrator of the Power Illness Prevention and Well being Promotion Division, in a information launch. “Nonetheless, footage of fruit on packaging and merchandise labeled ‘pure,’ and ‘100% vitamin C’ are deceiving households into pondering sweetened fruit drinks are wholesome, when in reality, they’re full of sugar.”

Well being consultants don’t advocate sweetened fruit drinks or different sugary drinks for keiki. The only option is water or unflavored milk.

The Youngsters’s Wholesome Dwelling Program surveyed residents of Kauai, Nanakuli, Waimanalo, Wailuku, Molokai and Hilo for over six years. Its information confirmed that 13.5% to 43.5% of younger kids in these communities are obese or overweight.

The marketing campaign will run by way of April 30 on TV, radio, digital, social media and in malls statewide.

Sarah Yamanaka covers occasions, environmental and neighborhood information for Spectrum Information Hawaii. She may be reached at sarah.yamanaka@constitution.com.