When it comes to the school lunch box, ACT parents are being urged by dentists to go ‘back to basics’ and help their children avoid serious teeth problems.
“Many parents think they’ve packed their child a healthy lunch to get them through the school day, but a lot of seemingly convenient choices are high in sugar which all add up,” Australian Dental Association (ADA) NSW/ACT President Dr Michael Jonas said.
“For example, a lunch that includes a box of sultanas, a flavoured yogurt and a fruit juice is delivering more than double the recommended daily amount of sugar,” Dr Jonas said.
“About one in four Australian children aged 5-14 have tooth decay and more than 70 per cent of young Australian children are consuming too much sugar. Thousands of NSW children are being hospitalised for the removal and restoration of teeth due to tooth decay every year, showing what can happen if you don’t protect teeth when you are young.
“Limiting sugar consumption is key to preventing tooth decay, which is the most common chronic disease in childhood. We’re urging parents to ditch the sugary treats from their kids’ lunch box, go ‘back to basics’ with fresh fruit and vegetables and help care for their kids’ teeth.”
Dr Jonas said replacing popular lunchbox items such as chocolates, lollies and biscuits with items such as fresh fruit and vegetable sticks was a great way to help protect kids’ teeth.
Packing water rather than sports drinks or flavoured milk and whole fruit over fruit juice can also help protect young teeth.
“A 600ml bottle of some regular soft and energy drinks can contain about 16 teaspoons of sugar and treats such as muesli bars, biscuits and dried fruits and can all damage young teeth and contribute to serious health conditions later in life such as obesity and Type 2 diabetes,” he said.
“Good health starts with what you put in your mouth and good oral health starts at a young age. Swapping a few items in your children’s lunchbox could help protect your child’s oral health and ensure they avoid dental and other serious health problems later in life.”
7 EASY TIPS TO MAKE LUNCHBOXES HEALTHIER:
· Include something from each of the five food groups including fruit/vegetables/legumes/beans, dairy, grain (cereal) foods, lean meats and poultry/fish/eggs.
· Replace chips, chocolates and biscuits with items such as fresh fruit, berries, celery sticks and baby carrots.
· Limit snacks that are high in sugar and/or saturated fats, e.g. chips, muesli bars, cakes, chocolates, donuts and biscuits.
· Pick whole fruit over fruit juice – the vitamins, minerals and fibre make it more filling and nutritious and reduce the sugar content per serve.
· Pack water as a drink rather than sports drinks, soft drinks, cordials or flavoured milk which are high in sugar.
· Look for grain-based snacks with whole grains and high fibre.
· Processed snack products such as muesli and breakfast bars, chips, and cookies should be limited to one item, and ideally a low-sugar choice such as rice crackers and cheese should be included.
ADA NSW is the peak body representing dentists and dental students in NSW and the ACT, with 4,600 members.
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