Watson: cut out the sugar for a healthier life

As of today I’ll be joining in with children at more than 30 schools in my area and giving up fizzy drinks for a month.

Why? Because we are taking part in ‘Fizz Free February’, a new campaign to shun sugary fizzy drinks for 28 days to improve our health. If you are reading this I challenge you to join in too.

Fizz Free February is important because we are facing a national public health crisis.

Every 10 minutes a child is having a rotten tooth removed because of preventable decay. A third of all kids are leaving primary school overweight or obese. Rates of Type 2 diabetes are rocketing with the NHS spending £10 billion treating the condition a year.

What’s the key culprit for all of this? One word: sugar. What is the largest source of sugar in teenager’s diets? Fizzy drinks.

After a quick look at the ingredients of fizzy drinks, those obesity and dental decay figures are not surprising.

There is more sugar in just a can of Original Pepsi than a child should consume in an entire day, and drinking a can of classic Coca Cola every day for a month means you would have eaten a whole bag of sugar.

The high sugar content is why drinking sugary pop causes kids so many health problems, from bad skin to brittle bones and rotten teeth.

Too many of our children are overweight and unable to concentrate in school. And some of the conditions caused by sugar are even more serious.

In the West Midlands there has been a 75 per cent increase in teenagers developing Type 2 diabetes since 2013.

Developing diabetes means these young people could be medicated for life, with effects on their kidneys, their eyesight and their energy levels. Because of rising levels of diabetes Doctors are amputating 120 feet and toes every week.

There are millions of people across the country suffering from Type 2 diabetes and many won’t know that their condition could be reversed. Type 2 diabetes can be put into remission by drastically changing your diet. I know this is true, because it worked for me.

I have seen the benefits of eating less sugar first hand. Since giving up refined sugar, starchy carbs, and ultra-processed foods last year, I’ve lost over 100 lbs and I feel happier, healthier, fitter, and faster. I’m delighted with the results, but I wish it hadn’t been necessary.

That’s why I’m so passionate about improving our children’s diets while they’re young. Hopefully, they won’t have to face the same health challenges as their parents.

I am delighted that Sandwell Council has taken up Fizz Free February with gusto and that so many local schools are participating.

They will be holding assemblies and hosting quizzes and teaching kids just how dangerous these cans and bottles of drink can be.

More and more people are pledging to take part in the campaign every single day. I am proud to work for a community where people are so ready to pitch in to make a difference for our children.

Big changes don’t happen overnight, but small steps do make a difference, and Fizz Free February is a brilliant place to start. Please do join in and pledge your support.