By Ben Mack, Southland Times

Siphoning children off sugar could be helped by phasing out fizzy drinks from schools, Southland educators, health advocates and an MP say.

Students at New River Primary School in Invercargill celebrated their school being fizzy-drink free on Monday, with kids drinking water instead of sodas or other sugary beverages.

New River principal Elaine McCambridge​ said the school had a "water-only" policy, with water available during school hours and social functions at the Invercargill school.

McCambridge said the school began to develop its policy in 2006. She said there had not been a great deal of resistance from parents.

The push for phasing fizzy drinks out of schools comes amid nationwide debate on whether or not to tax sugar. In the United Kingdom plans have been announced for a tax on sugary soft drinks to take effect beginning in 2018. 

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has also challenged New Zealand to follow the UK's example.

Healthy Families Invercargill communications and engagement adviser Nathan Burdon said his organisation was keen to work with schools to cut back on sugary drinks and develop water-only policies.

He said fizzy drink-free schools would help with obesity, diabetes and other illnesses.

"You've even got sugar-added drinks being sold by some schools," he said.

"There's a mixed message there that's probably confusing for kids. We've got a rising tide of obesity in New Zealand. Southern health statistics aren't any better."

Healthy Families Invercargill community activator Stella O'Connor​ said that while water-only policies were working in primary schools, it was a different story at many secondary schools.

One high school encouraging healthy food choices was Southland Girls' High School. Principal Yvonne Browning said fizzy drinks were not sold in her school's canteen.

"We say 'what you eat affects your brain.' The food at our canteen has to encourage learning."

Southland Primary Principals' Association president and Ascot Community School principal Wendy Ryan said she believed eliminating fizzy drinks from schools would be easier than some people might assume.

"This generation have been brought up on water. They are used to water, they're used to water bottles and carrying them around. They buy water."

Ryan said there were no fizzy drinks sold at her school.

Southland-based NZ First MP Ria Bond said she did not think excessively sugary drinks needed to be in schools. She said the idea of a sugar tax might be a good first step, but more would need to be done.

She said one idea would be a return of a milk in schools scheme.

Heart Foundation education setting manager Justine Munro said a water and milk-only policy in schools, as the Ministries of Education and Health have called for, would be a good idea.

"It sends a clear message of support and encouragement to schools that they are in a strong position to help communities tackle New Zealand's growing childhood obesity epidemic," she said.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman has previously ruled out a sugar tax.

McCambridge said pupils did sometimes bring sugar-sweetened drinks to school, but because they were called fruit drinks, parents genuinely believe they were healthy.

"If children do bring these drinks to school, they just go back in the children's schoolbags and go back with them at the end of the day."

Part of the idea of the policy was to encourage healthy habits that children could take with them to high school, she said.

"We believe that fizzy and other sugary drinks are a 'treat' for children, not something they should be drinking all the time."

Year 5 student Kaylie Walker said there was a simple reason why she drank water instead of sugary drinks.

"Because it's healthy for you."

Year 6 student Sieni Tagomoa​ had similar sentiments.

"There's no sugar in it."

Year 5 student Tyler Thwaites and year 6 student Emily Brown also said they preferred water.

 - Stuff