On Monday, October 14, the Centre for Childhood Health and Epinion will launch a large, nationwide survey aimed at mapping the drinking habits of children and young people.
The study will focus on what 3,000 children and young people, aged 3-20 years, are drinking, including water, milk, juice, soft drinks, and energy drinks. It will also examine whether everyone has easy access to water stations in schools, clubs, and extracurricular activities.
"We want to help create healthy environments for children and young people," says the center's director, Morten Grønbæk. "This can involve promoting healthy habits, such as drinking water more often instead of sugary drinks. This could be an important step towards ensuring healthy weight development among children and young people," he says.
'Only Water'
The survey is part of the Center for Childhood Healths long-term initiative ‘Only Water’, which aims to increase access to free drinking water to reduce the consumption of sugary drinks.
"Our goal is to make water the natural and easy choice for children and young people. That's why we are examining whether there are water stations in schools, clubs, and recreational spaces, and whether water is easily accessible," says chief consultant Lene Winther Ringgaard from the Centre for Childhood Health and project manager for ‘Only Water’.
Many may think that all children have access to water everywhere, but it is not always the case that children drink it, says Lene Winther Ringgaard.
"Perhaps you can’t fit your water bottle under the tap, maybe the water isn’t cold, or it’s a barrier if you have to go to the restroom to get water. It should be easy to get cold, fresh water—whether you’re at school, doing sports, or at a club," she explains.
Background for the Survey
According to the National Institute for Public Health, 14% of Danish children aged 6-7 years are overweight, and the figure rises to 19% for young people aged 14-15 years. Several studies have shown that sugary drinks increase the risk of overweight.
However, international studies suggest that increased water consumption can help reduce the intake of sugary drinks.
‘Only Water’ is partly based on experiences from similar initiatives abroad, such as the "water-only schools" programs in England and New Zealand.
The initiative hopes to show whether it can help reduce weight gain here in Denmark.
