The Lincoln County Oral Health Coalition has a challenge for the community; reduce your sugar for one day. We are asking families and individuals to take the Sugar Out Day pledge on Saturday, March 24, to reduce the sugar you eat and drink for the day.
“The average American consumes almost 152 pounds of sugar in one year; this averages to about three pounds of sugar each week,” says Karen Krueger, Public Health Nurse for the Lincoln County Health Department and head of the Lincoln County Oral Health Coalition. “We know that a diet high in sugar increases risk for cavities and tooth decay and can also cause type 2 diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease and some cancers.”
The following are additional tips on making your Sugar Out Day pledge a success.
•Rethink Your Drink. Drink less sodas, juices, favored milk, and energy drinks. Sugary beverages contain an average of 10 teaspoons of sugar per serving. A good alternative would be unflavored milk and or water. Watch out for diet sodas; although they have artificial sweetener they are not a healthy substitute.
•Read Food Labels. All sugars are listed in grams on the nutrition label. Every 4 grams of sugar on the nutrition label equals 1 teaspoon of sugar. Do the math by dividing the number of grams on the label by 4. Check out your favorite snack or drink’s nutrition label and see how the teaspoons add up for you.
•Substitute Sugary Snacks. There are many healthier options available for snacks. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a great choice. In order to be successful with eating healthier, you need to plan ahead. Pre-packing snacks so they are ready when you are hungry can help you succeed.
•Watch Out for Artificial Sugars. It is important to take a look at how many artificial sweeteners you eat or drink. If you are currently having several artificially sweetened drinks and food items in a day, challenge yourself to have only one.
Individuals and families (one pledge per family) can take the pledge to reduce their sugar on Saturday March 24th by filling out the pledge form at www.lincolncountyhealthdepartment.com. You can also request a printed form by contacting Karen Krueger at 715-539-1368, or [email protected]. Those that return a completed pledge by March 30 will be put into a raffle drawing for a fresh fruit and vegetable gift card.
Sugar Out Day is sponsored by the Lincoln County Oral Health Coalition; Ascension Good Samaritan Hospital, Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital, Lincoln County Health Department, Oak Park Dental, Lincoln County Board of Health, and Bridge Community Dental Clinic. The Coalition’s goals are to increase dental access and increase oral health hygiene practices among Lincoln County’s residents.
The Lincoln County Oral Health Coalition is part of Healthy People Lincoln County. Healthy People Lincoln County’s mission is to promote partnerships within the community to improve health through advocacy, prevention and implementation of best practices. To learn more about Healthy People Lincoln County and how to get involved visit http://bit.ly/2h4RI7m or contact Shelley Hersil, Director/Health Officer, Lincoln County Health Department, at 715-539-1360 or [email protected].