Child Obesity and Soft Drinks Attention

Child Obesity and Soft Drinks Attention
Posted on May 21, 2010 by generalhealthy.net

Children and Soft Drinks
While obesity is a complex, multi-factorial problem, soft drinks play a key role. Children who consume more soft drinks consume more calories (about 55 to 190 per day) than kids who drink fewer soft drinks and are more likely to become overweight.
• Sodas and fruit drinks are the biggest single source of calories and added sugars in the diets of teenagers.
• Increases in children’s calorie intake during the 1990s were driven by increased intakes of foods and beverages high in added sugars.
• A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health found that for each additional serving of soda or juice drink a child consumes per day, the child’s chance of becoming overweight increases by 60%.
• A health-education program encouraging elementary school students to decrease soft drink consumption reduced rates of overweight and obesity.
• Consumption of soft drinks can displace healthier foods from children’s diets, like low-fat milk, which can help prevent osteoporosis.
• As teens have doubled or tripled their consumption of soft drinks, they have cut their consumption of milk by more than 40 percent.