Māori public health advocacy Hāpai Te Hauora is calling for a ban on the sale of sugary drinks in schools.
Fizz Free Whānau campaign manager Janell Dymus says children are exposed to sugary drinks everywhere, and as a result consume extremely high rates of sugar.
That is leading to high rates of obesity, diabetes, dental caries and many other health issues.
She says school policies need to change to prohibit sugary drinks and go water only, and whānau also need to consider the alternatives.
"We’re not telling whānau that fizzy is going to kill you or all those negative messages. It really is promoting the positivity that comes from drinking Wai Māori. That comes through a 30-day challenge, so we are calling on everyone to jump on board the Fizz Free Challenge, actually it's 28 days because of Feb, but just take on the challenge for 28 days and see how your tinana likes it," Ms Dymus says.
She says it’s hard to encourage children to choose healthy beverages when schools provide unhealthy ones.
The Fizz Free Whānau campaign details can be found here: https://www.fizzfree.org.nz
Waatea News - Fizz free Feb good for tinana (Listen to the interview here)