According to the National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality (NICHQ), 31.6% of U.S. children ages 10-17 are considered obese or overweight; Kentucky ranks higher than the national average, with 37.1% (NICHQ 2023). One contributing factor to these statistics is the high amounts of sugar this age group is exposed to and consumes, often unknowingly.

Sugar Sneakers is a program aimed at increasing awareness of sugar consumption, specifically the amount of added sugars people unknowingly consume in the beverages we drink. Carlisle County FCS Extension teamed with Carlisle County Middle School to discuss sugar and sugar consumption with the CCMS Healthy Comets Club. Fifty-three students, ages 11-14, learned about recommended limits of added sugars, how to read a nutrition label and how to identify serving sizes. They also learned about hydration best practices and when to use sports drinks versus water. A hands-on activity allowed the club to organize familiar drinks in order of sugar content. In a follow-up discussion, the students revealed they were all surprised to learn what common drinks surpass the daily recommended limit and more than half admitted they had never considered serving sizes or sugar content before.