An Aberdeen school is piloting a new healthy eating programme to help youngsters cut down on their sugar intake.
Pupils at Heathryburn Primary School in Northfield are taking part in the Sugar Smart project, a UK-wide scheme run by the food charity Sustain and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.
As well as being educated about the health problems caused by eating too many sweets and drinking too much fizzy juice, the children will be tasked with taking part in activities such as editing together videos and creating posters.
Kelly Milne, the head teacher of Heathryburn School said she hoped the month-long project would help pupils concentrate on their studies and even have a knock-on effect on their parents’ diets.
She said: “It’s great that we are the pilot school for this amazing Sugar Smart project and everyone is really looking forward to taking part.
“Things like sweets and fizzy drinks really have an impact on our children’s health, and it can really affect their energy levels and leave them fatigued.
“We often notice a slump in their attention in the afternoon, so not only is it affecting their health, but also their education.
“We try to help our children make small steps to reduce the amount of sugar they take in, like swapping fizzy drinks for milk or water, or reducing the amount of sweets they’re eating at playtime.”
She added: “There are lots of activities scheduled in for both pupils and parents and we are hoping to see some really positive outcomes at the end of the programme.”
Councillor John Wheeler, the city council’s education and children’s services convener, met with the Heathryburn pupils at a special assembly to launch the project yesterday morning.
He said: “Among our key outcomes for our children and young people are a sense of healthiness and well-being.
“This fantastic project ties perfectly into our ambitions for young Aberdonians, and it’s great to see mums and dads taking part as well.”
