A campaign to cut out sugary and fizzy drinks is urging us to be fizz free this February.
Fizzy drinks are the largest single source of sugar for children aged 11–18 and provide an average of 29% of daily sugar intake. Ditching fizzy beverages is an easy way to reduce our sugar intake. By committing to going fizz free for February, you can develop new habits to make it easier to cut down on fizzy drinks altogether.
Fizz Free February is being supported by Sustain, which helps local authorities, organisations, workplaces and individuals to reduce the amount of sugar we all consume. The organisation has joined forces with Southwark Council, who first launched the campaign in 2018, to help take Fizz Free February national.
It’s not just sugary drinks that can lead to health problems. Scientists have also warned people with congenital heart conditions and high blood pressure to limit their use of energy drinks after the largest study yet found they caused substantial interference in the heart’s electric signals.
The research team at the University of the Pacific measured the electrical activity of the volunteers’ hearts by electrocardiogram. In those who consumed an energy drink, the time taken for the lower chambers of the heart to prepare to beat again was between six and 7.7 milliseconds higher four hours after drinking than those on the placebo.
If the time interval, known as the QT interval, is too short or long it can cause arrhythmia, which can be life-threatening.
Find out more about Fizz Free February here and download resources to promote the campaign here.
