Nelson Marlborough DHB is calling for sports players to keep their distance from sponsorship deals with soft drink companies. Basketball player Steven Adams, left, and All Black Aaron Smith pictured in 2014.

A young All Blacks fan needing several teeth removed arrived at hospital drinking Powerade "because Richie does".

The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board has called for an end to sponsorship deals between sports teams and junk food giants as part of its submission on an Advertising Standards Authority review.

Board principal dental officer Dr Rob Beaglehole said it was inappropriate for the sporting heroes of children to be linked with fast food and sugary drink brands.

MARION VAN DIJK/FAIRFAX NZ The young boy believed that Richie McCaw drinks energy drink Powerade.

"If children are worshipping these sports heroes, and sports heroes are associated with unhealthy products, it sends a very confusing message to children."

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Beaglehole treated a 5-year-old boy last year who came to an appointment to have multiple teeth extracted under general anaesthetic holding a large bottle of energy drink.

DEREK FLYNN/FAIRFAX NZ Nelson Marlborough District Health Board chief dental officer Dr Rob Beaglehole says marketing of junk food and sugary drinks should be banned within 500 metres of schools.

When Beaglehole asked him why he was drinking Powerade, the boy responded "because Richie does", in reference to the former All Blacks captain Richie McCaw.

"It was a really stark reminder of the power that these sporting heroes have over the youth of New Zealand."

Sugary drinks were the number one source of sugar in the diets of New Zealand children, and contributed to multiple health problems including tooth decay, obesity and type 2 diabetes, Beaglehole said.

As the principal dental officer, Beaglehole said he had a clinical responsibility towards the 20,000 children who lived in the Nelson Marlborough region.

"It makes sense for me to turn the sugar tap off in order to save these kids' teeth.

"All we're trying to do is to protect the health of our kids."

Powerade is owned by Coca-Cola. A Coca-Cola New Zealand spokeswoman said the company's sponsorship agreement with the All Blacks finished at the end of last year and was not renewed.

The company did not advertise in media which directly targeted children under 12, or design marketing communications in a way that would directly appeal to people of that age group, she said.

Coca-Cola New Zealand respected the unique learning environments created by schools and supported commercial-free classrooms, the spokeswoman said.

"We will make every attempt not to commercially advertise in primary schools and we will not offer Coca-Cola Company beverages for sale in primary schools."

The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board submission on the review of the code for advertising to children also called for limits on junk food and sugary drink advertising within 500 metres of schools.

Beaglehole said dairies, petrol stations and bus stops around schools often featured junk food advertising.

"It's very difficult for children to get to school without running the gauntlet of these dairies that are selling products which are harming kids."

The submission also highlighted the prevalence of sugary drink multi-buy and discount deals at retailers close to school grounds.

Marlborough Boys' College principal Wayne Hegarty said the main reason sugary drinks were popular with students was the convenience and cost of buying them.

"A person that's given $1 to buy their lunch is going to buy a can of fizzy."

He supported the idea of limiting the sale of sugary drinks and junk food around schools.

Blenheim nutritionist Emily Hope said it was hard for children to make healthy choices when they were bombarded with advertising for unhealthy food and drink, particularly when those products were associated with role models.

It made no sense for sports teams to be sponsored by fast food outlets, she said.

"I don't think it's what the athletes themselves would eat.

"They wouldn't fuel themselves with a [KFC] quarter pack before going out on the field."

Powerade had a place as a drink for high level athletes after intense exercise, but it was not the best drink for children, Hope said.

"If they're going to run around on a field for 30 minutes they don't need that, they need water."

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