A Few Good Reasons To Say No To Soda

If current trends continue, about 50 percent of Americans will be obese by 2030, according to a new study.

This would increase the total number of obese people in the country from 99 million to 164 million, the study said. Such a rise would hike up health care costs— an additional $66 billion per year would be spent on obesity-related diseases, the researchers said. Spending would increase by 13 to 16 percent per year over the two decades.

This level of obesity would mean 7.8 million more cases of diabetes, along with 6.8 million cases of coronary heart disease and stroke, and 539,000 more cancer cases than what would be expected if obesity remained at its current level.

Yesterday the CDC came out with a report that says drinking too much soda is a major contributor to obesity. The numbers they reported are staggering:

  • About half of the population drinks a sugared beverage evey day.
  • On average, males ages 12 to 19 drink the equivalent of nearly two cans of soda each day.
  • Low-income adults get about 9 percent of their daily calories from sugary beverages; compared to high income adults which is 4 percent.
  • Blacks and Latinos get more of their calories from sweetened beverages than other racial and ethnic groups.

Soda consumption is associated with the presence of sodas in school vending machines, as well as fast food consumption. Greater fast food consumption is tragically associated with eating fewer healthy fruits and vegetables.

Communities that have banned vending machines that sell sugary beverages from their schools have observed less obesity and better consumption of healthier foods.

Parents, be proactive and be sure to limit your child’s consumption of soda! It winds up leading to poor eating habits across the food spectra and obesity soon follows. Work with your communities to ban sodas from schools. Don’t give in to pressures from the beverage companies who are fighting tooth and nail to preven this from happening.

[Photo By AJamison]

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