Initiative Challenges Latino Familes to Go a ‘Day Without Sugar’

Share On Social!

Unhealthy diets are a big contributor to the Latino childhood obesity epidemic.

A new initiative is calling for Latino children and their families to embrace a healthier diet by limiting their sugar intake.

For the Day Without Sugar Challenge, launched by Arte Público Press, the nation’s largest and oldest publisher of U.S. Hispanic literature, participants are encouraged to complete one full day without any sugary drinks, candies, cookies, or sweet baked goods, and avoid foods with added sugars.

The initiative encourages community organizations, educators and families to address the issue of high sugar consumption, which can contribute to the risks of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

The American Heart Association recommends no more than 9 teaspoons of sugar per day, but children typically consume closer to 30 teaspoons.

The initiative website offers free resources:

• A toolkit for classrooms and organizations that outlines fun activities that educators and parents can use to teach kids about sugar and its presence in everyday foods;
• Low-sugar recipes and tips for families; and
• A bilingual children’s coloring book, A Day Without Sugar / Un día sin azúcar by Diane de Anda with illustrations by Janet Montecalvo.

“The risks to Latino children’s health are enormous and it’s vital that we teach children to embrace healthy eating habits,” said Dr. Nicolás Kanellos, founder of Arte Público Press. “Too much sugar is a big part of the problem, but there’s nothing sweeter than good health.”