Studies link an increase in Americans' intake of sweetened drinks — especially soda and sports drinks — with an unhealthy increase in our body weight. Sweet drinks are also linked to:
- Weak bones
- Tooth decay
- Increased desire for sugar (and in some cases, caffeine)
Sweet Soda
America's other drinking problem...Some experts call soda "liquid candy"-and call our intake habits "America's other drinking problem."
- Every day for a typical 2-year-old, carbonated soda pop provides more added sugar than cookies, candies and ice cream combined.
- 56% of 8-year-olds down soda every day.
- A third of teenage boys drink at least 3 cans of soda pop per day.
- 60% of all public and private middle schools and high schools sell soda pop to students.
Ideas to make it happen
- Go with H2O. Carry water with you — and drink it all day long.
- Rethink mealtime drinks. Drink water or milk (skim or 1%) at meals and snack times.
- Make it special. Save soda, lemonade, Kool-Aid, and punch for special occasions — no more than once a week. If you're used to drinking regular soda, switch to diet soda.
- Watch the juice. Drink 100% fruit juice — but limit yourself to one small (4 to 6 ounces) glass or juice box a day. Or, eat a piece of fruit instead. You'll get more nutrients, and feel more satisfied.
- Exercise caution. Go easy on the sports drinks — most of the time, water is best for exercise.
One change makes a difference.
A teen's success story..."I used to buy a Coke every day from the machine at school. Then last spring, I decided to switch to water for a while.
I didn't do anything else; I wasn't on a diet. But I still managed to lose the little spare tire – that little muffin top above the waistband? — just by kicking my soda habit.
Makes sense, if you do the math. A can of soda a day adds up to about 56,000 calories a year – that's 16 pounds of body weight. Sixteen pounds. And it was just one small, easy change."