26 Aug 2014

Hospitals ditch sugary drinks

7:00 am on 26 August 2014

Hospitals in Northland are ditching all sugary drinks from their cafeterias and vending machines.

The plan has been in the pipeline for years, but officials have now agreed to give sugar-sweetened beverages the boot.

Soft drinks, fruit drinks, iced tea, and energy sports and vitamin drinks are in the firing line, but low or no-sugar beverages, water and unflavoured milk, as well as tea and coffee will stay on the menu.

Northland district health board diabetes dietician Virjean Primeau said it was time the DHB practised what it preached.

She believed people needed to drink more water and milk.

Diabetes clinical nursing manager Amy Savage said the removal of sugary drinks is important for Type 2 diabetes prevention.

She said more than 9,000 people in Northland had the disease.

The DHB will make the changes from October.

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