It’s a ritual that middle school and high school students know well: between two lessons, we go down to the coffee machine (or to the cafeteria) to buy a little soda, a fruit juice or a sweet drink, history to hold out until the end of the day …
But this (bad) habit should soon end: thus, this Friday, September 8, 2017, the European Federation of Soft Drinks (UNESDA, which represents the non-alcoholic beverage industry in Europe) announced that from now on, it would not market no more sugary drinks in secondary schools in Europe.
The commitment (which concerns in particular brands well known to our teenagers: Coca-COla, Fanta, Oasis, Schweppes, Sprite …) will be gradually introduced in the 28 member countries of the European Union – in total, more than 50 000 secondary schools and 40 million adolescents would be affected. On the calendar side, the elimination of sugary drinks in middle and high school should be fully in effect at the end of 2018.
Obesity in adolescents, a real public health issue
Good news since, according to the World Health Organization, 30% of children and adolescents in Europe are overweight: the cause is insufficient daily physical activity and increased consumption of products rich in sugars and saturated fats. . In France, according to statistics, 19% of adults suffer from obesity – a figure that even exceeds 20% in Germany, Hungary, the United Kingdom and Iceland.
Worse: according to several international studies, obesity in adolescents would have serious consequences on their health. Thus, in June 2013, an American study discovered a link between obesity and hearing problems in adolescents. To monitor !
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