Bahrain announces anti-soda initiative

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MANAMA, Bahrain, May 27 (UPI) -- Bahrain will push milk over carbonated drinks to combat unhealthy eating that contributes to child obesity, officials said Sunday.

The Gulf Daily News reported Sunday the campaign -- "Milk is Health" -- is organized and sponsored by the Health Ministry's nutrition section and will promote a healthy lifestyle, starting in September when children return to school.

The campaign will target children from nursery to secondary school age across Bahrain.

"We aim to introduce this campaign during the beginning of the new academic year in September, and will promote dairy products and juices in government schools," the ministry's Public Health Directorate Nutrition Section head, Dr. Nadia Gharib, said in statement to the media.

"The obesity rate on an average for both boys and girls is about 26 percent, and we are collecting and analyzing new data that covers more than 60 percent of schools in the country."

Bahrain first initiated anti-obesity efforts in 2008, targeting 200,000 students.