SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif- "Not to drink soda", "Drink water". Those are some new habits children say they are learning at Heal-Slo's program "Re-think Your Drink." Heal-Slo provides free education to local community partners to teach children healthier ways of life.
"They brought basic information to the children of how to read the back of food labels, and the sugar content on the food labels," says Jen Kirckpatrick, a Heal-Slo partner.
Sugar is one of obesities highest contributors. Heal-Slo says if you drink two sodas a day for a full month you can gain five pounds of fat. 30-percent of the children in San Luis Obispo County were considered obese when this program started two years ago, now it's below 25 percent. "I think for our area 30-percent was high and we still have childhood obesity that we need to fight but it is getting better," says Kirckpatrick.
And children are learning, when asked what three drinks are best for your body, a Sullivan Medici answered, "milk, water and 100% fruit juice."
Its knowledge Heal-Slo says these children bring home, in turn helping their families beat the battle against obesity.
