Scotland - Healthier children say 'aargh' to sweets

Healthier children say 'aargh' to sweets
Date: 17 May 2009
By David Leask
THEIR toothless smiles are as Scottish as soor plooms and Highland toffee.
Children north of the border have long had some of the nastiest gnashers in Europe, mostly thanks to the kilos of confectionery they chomp their way through every year.
Some despairing dentists and doctors were beginning to fear they could never wean youngsters off their junk diets.
At least until now. That's because the latest figures appear to show that young Scots are losing their collective sweet tooth.
Scotland on Sunday can reveal there has been a dramatic fall in the number of children who tuck into sweeties every day – and a rise in those who eat fruit instead.
In 2002, 47% of boys and 43% of girls had sweets every day, according to figures published in statistical bible for the welfare of Scottish children, the 300-page 2008–2009 factfile produced by the charity Action for Children and endorsed by the Scottish Government.
The latest figure, according to the document, is just 34%.
That, say doctors and dentists, is still unacceptably high – but it represents huge progress, not least because it coincides with the number of children turning to fruit.
The Action for Children factfile said daily fruit consumption was up from 31% of boys and 36% of girls in 2002 to 36% and 43% respectively. .............