ACHI Celebrates National Public Health Week

For National Public Health Week, ACHI is encouraging everyone to think about the snacks and drinks they consume and choose healthy options. We’re giving out free snacks and water at our office on the third floor of the Victory Building at 1401 W. Capitol Ave., Little Rock, each day from Monday, April 1, through Thursday, April 4, from 2-4 p.m. or until we run out. No fooling!

We’ve also set up a display near a beverage vending machine in the building to illustrate, with actual bags of sugar, the sugar content of each drink in the machine. It may surprise some people to learn that, for example, a 12-ounce Minute Maid Cranberry Grape Juice contains more sugar (71 grams) than a 20-ounce Coke or Dr Pepper (65 grams). That is equivalent to the amount of sugar in six glazed donuts. You would have to walk across the Big Dam Bridge four times to burn off the calories in that 12-ounce drink.

The recommended daily sugar limit is 37.5 grams for men and 25 grams for women. That means a 20-ounce Mountain Dew (77 grams of sugar) contains more than twice the recommended daily sugar limit for men and more than three times the recommended limit for women. Just one sugar-sweetened beverage a day increases an adult’s risk of becoming overweight by 27%. It’s time to rethink your drink!

Make small changes toward a healthier lifestyle:

• Add a splash of 100% juice to sparkling water for taste.
• Try drinking water with dinner instead of sugary options.
• Carry a refillable water bottle to drink on the go.
• Keep a pitcher of water infused with lemons, berries, cucumbers, or other fruits in your refrigerator.