A recent article published in the Telegraph claims that recommended daily limits on sugar intake will be halved under new advice to Government. This means that just one can of Coke, 7UP or Fanta a day would use the whole allowance.

New proposals from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) say that no more than five per cent of calories should come from sugar – compared with current limits of 10 per cent.

This change follows recent press coverage claiming that tooth decay in primary school children aged 5 to 9 is on the increase with approximately 26,000 children in the UK being admitted to hospital for tooth extraction.

As a result of this the Government’s chief obesity advisor, Professor Susan Jebb, has issued guidance saying that parents should introduce strict rules about sugary drinks limiting juice to one small glass a day with breakfast, and making water the mainstay. Here are some tips on fun ways to introduce your children to healthier water alternatives.

Always make them drink water before other drinks

Encourage your children to drink lots of water in between meals and limit sugar allowance to maybe just weekends. If they drink water beforehand, it will quench their thirst which means they will feel less likely to binge on lots of fizzy pop.

Educate your children on the importance of health and fitness

Educate your children and let them know the benefits of drinking water. Why not treat them to some books on how the body works and nutrition or teach them how important it is to stay hydrated, your teenagers might decide to dump the cola if they realise it’s giving them spots.

Improve the taste

Selling water to children can be difficult because they often complain that water is boring and tasteless. Filtered water might also taste a little better, so why not spice up your child’s water by adding lemon and lime slices as this can add a fruity flavour with far less sugar than squash or juice.

Make it fun

Why not treat your younger children to a new cup with a picture on it as children love drinking out of bright new cups. You can even spice things up by adding a straw, or by using different shaped ice cubes and by adding fruits like strawberries.

Many dentists can give you and your children advice on how to prevent tooth decay.

Chiswick Park Dental Practice in London are specialists in providing treatments for children and even take time out to make sure their youngest visitors get all the reassurance they need providing them with small gifts and goodie bags to provide extra encouragement along the way.