BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Bruneians, especially Bruneian students are encouraged to drink plain water to help maintain health.

In a pilot campaign called "Let's Drink Plain Water", Brunei's Ministry of Health (MoH), through its Health Promotion Centre, collaborated with University Brunei Darussalam undergraduates to hold a campaign to encourage local school students, teachers and school staff to adopt the healthy habit of drinking plain water.

According to MoH, its "Brunei Darussalam National Health and Dietary Status" research in 2011 showed that 34.6 percent of children aged from 5 to 14 years old drank sweetened beverages on a daily basis and one out of two children aged 5 years old was overweight or obese.

MoH advised schools and parents to be more aware of the need to provide healthy food and drinks to students, emphasizing that drinking plain water will help control overweight or obesity among students between 5 and 14 years old.