Dr. Randy Wykoff Participates in the Launch of #LiveSugarfreed

On September 22, 2015, Dr. Randy Wykoff, Dean of the East Tennessee State University College of Public Health, participated in the launch of the #LiveSugarfreed movement at the Kingsport Center for Higher Education.  The launch was covered by local media outlets WCYB, WJHL and the Kingsport Times-News.  Additionally, Healthy Kingsport provided a condensed version of the press conference.

The #LiveSugarfreed movement is part of A Healthy America, an effort to combat the nations greatest health problems by using the mass media and by building social movements. A Healthy America is led by The Public Good Projects, an organization of experts in media, marketing, and public health, working with health and community leaders in the Tri-Cities region.  Dr. Wykoff states, People need to see the information.  It may take them a while to absorb it.  They may think, Well, I dont agree with that right now.  But every time someone sees information.  And thats why the media plays such an important role in improving health.

According to the campaign, sugary drinks increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and some forms of cancer. One 20-ounce bottle of soda contains the equivalent of 16 teaspoons of sugar. Since the average young adult drinks one to two sugary drinks a day, the amount consumed adds up to 68 pounds of sugar a year.  The campaigns take-away message is, Every day, millions of kids, teens, and adults drink sugar-filled drinks and think nothing of it. But with sugary drinks now proven to increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, and with obesity an important cause of cancer, were on a mission to change that.  Together, we can kick the sugary drink habit, start drinking water, and #LiveSugarfreed.