HONOLULU — A recent public announcement aims to inform parents and caregivers that sweetened fruit drinks marketed for keiki may contain as much sugar as soda.
The Hawaii Department of Health’s “Sweet Lies!” campaign invites a closer look at the beverage industry’s deceptive marketing techniques, which present images of fruit along with words like “juice,” “natural,” and “100% vitamin C,” the parents fooled into believing the drinks are healthy when the sugar content can contribute to tooth decay, premature weight gain and diet-related diseases, including diabetes, similar to the effects of soda.
The DOH press release cites Hawaii’s Young Children’s Health Survey, which shows that 75% of Hawaiian Keiki consume one or more sweetened fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, or tea drinks daily.
Feedback from focus groups made up of parents and grandparents helped develop the Sweet Lies! project. Campaign. Most knew that sodas were too sugary, but didn’t know that sweetened fruit juices can contain just as much sugar.
“During our focus groups, it became clear that parents and grandparents are trying to make healthy choices for their keiki,” Lola Irvin, health administrator for the Division of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, said in a news release. “However, images of fruit on packaging and products labeled ‘natural’ and ‘100% vitamin C’ mislead families into believing that sweetened fruit drinks are healthy when in fact they are loaded with sugar.”
Health experts do not recommend sweetened fruit drinks or other sugary beverages for keiki. The best choice is water or unflavored milk.
The Children’s Healthy Living Program surveyed residents of Kauai, Nanakuli, Waimanalo, Wailuku, Molokai and Hilo for over six years. The data showed that 13.5% to 43.5% of young children in these communities are overweight or obese.
The campaign will run through April 30 on television, radio, digital, social media and in malls across the state.
Sarah Yamanaka covers events, environmental and community news for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at [email protected]