Nutrition trainings on sugar consumption and food labelling for children
What is it?
According to the World Health Organization, the recommended maximum daily sugar intake for children aged 7 to 10 is 24 grams or 28 for children aged 11 to 18. Yet, studies have shown that the average child currently consumes much more than the recommended rate, with their average daily intake reaching 55 grams per day. According to UNICEF, obesity has now overtaken underweight as the most common form of malnutrition among children and teens worldwide, 1 in 10 children aged 5–19, or 188 million worldwide, are living with obesity.
To tackle this pressing issue, EEKE as Coordinator in Greece, in partnership with the Project Coordinator SAFE and project partners across Europe, have been giving nutrition trainings in schools as part of SAFE’s Food4Inclusion project.
Nutrition trainings on sugar consumption and food labelling delivers course materials aimed at children and teenagers (7 to 14 years old) on the prevalence of sugar in their diet and the health risks associated to it. They constitute the age group most prone to consuming sugar in excess. In the framework of Food4Inclusion, materials for trainings has been developed which are focused on food labelling, helping children to read labels, understand what are food additives and their health effects, as well as debunk marketing techniques on unhealthy foods.
In 2026, in Greece the trainings are being implemented to:
- 4 schools
- 22 classrooms
- 358 students
How is it done?
These nutrition trainings take the form of an interactive course lasting 1.5 hours given on school premises. The training session includes games, videos, Q&As, and discussions between children and the team.
The primary objective of the course is to raise pupils’ awareness of their sugar consumption and to highlight how sugar is present in many everyday foods. Experience shows that most pupils are not aware of this and pay little attention to the issue. They also learn to spot misleading health claims and marketing techniques that influence them into consuming unhealthy foods.
Children are taught about the impact of excessive sugar consumption, and ultra processed foods, as well as the effects of food colourants and additives on health, including links to non-communicable diseases and other health issues.
Pupils learn how to read food labels correctly to assess if a product is good for their health or not. They can recognise food colourants, additives, and how to calculate the sugar content of a product.
At the end of the session,
- children receive written materials, including information on the World Health Organization’s recommendations on sugar intake, to better remember the information they learnt.
- Teachers are awarded for their participation with a Certification
