Football teams across the UK are bringing back oranges at half time, as part of a countrywide initiative to prevent the fruit from disappearing from the national game.
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Jaffa, a citrus fruit brand, have found that 45% of children who play sport are eating less healthy foods at half time.
The 'Save The Half-Time Orange' campaign launches in Cambridgeshire and will travel worldwide during the 2013/201 season. They hope that the campaign will get children's football teams in the UK eating the fruit by May 2015.
The research showed that a staggering 45% eat crisps, chocolate and sweets during sports and to hydrate themselves during the match, 43% admit to choosing fizzy and sugary drinks over water.
The survey, which saw 500 children who regularly play sport participate, found that a half of the kids thought fruit was an important snack and 97% say they would eat a healthy snack if it was provided.
Jaffa are supporting the campaign and plan to provide teams with oranges and fruit vouchers around the country as Jaffa announced 55% of schools and sports clubs do not provide any type of snack at half-time.
Jane Griffin, Sports Dietician and Nutrition Consultant commented: “There can be more calories in a chocolate bar than are burned in an hour playing football. The results of this survey suggest many sporty children could be undoing the good from their active lifestyles with their choices of food and drink.”
She added: "Rehydration and replenishing carbohydrates that are used up during sports are essential for keeping young athletes on top of their game,” said Griffin. “Oranges are a great choice of snack at half time as they provide easily digested carbohydrates, water and vitamin C. They give youngsters that all-important energy boost they need for the second half.”
Eating fruit during sports is important.
A spokesperson for Jaffa Fruit said: "“Oranges at half time are one of the greatest traditions of the British game. But over the years they have been vanishing from our touch lines and being replaced by less healthy alternatives such as chocolate, crisps and sweets. We are asking every kids’ team in the country to bring back the fruit. We’re determined to save the half-time orange.”
Clubs and individual teams who want to get involved can sign a pledge to eat oranges at half time, at www.halftimejaffa.co.uk. They will receive rewards and vouchers for Jaffa fruit, as well as the latest news and activity updates on the half-time project.