Sugar-sweetened drinks may be losing some of their allure

Sugar-sweetened drinks may be losing some of their allure


The drumbeat of warnings about the dangers to your health from drinking sugar-sweetened beverages, and even new taxes levied on the drinks in some areas, may be showing results. Consumption of sugary drinks has dropped significantly, according to a Harvard University study.

Surveys of more than 18,000 children and nearly 28,000 adults showed the percentage of adults who reported having a sweetened drink at least once a day has fallen from 62 to 50. Among children, the percentage has dropped from 80 to 60.

Sugary drinks have been strongly linked to obesity, diabetes and other health concerns. The study looked at how often people consume soda, fruit drinks, fruit punches, low-calorie drinks and sports drinks.

Among kids ages 2 to 11, milk was the largest source of calories from beverages, while sugary drinks topped the list for those between ages 12 to 39. Sweet drink consumption fell significantly among white and black children ages 12 to 19 and among Mexican-American respondents ages 2 to 5 and 12 to 19. However, while the percentages dropped, sweet drinks remain popular among children, adolescents and young adults of ethnic minorities across all years.

Interestingly, water intake rose across all age groups.

Researchers cited the need for more public health action such as restricting the availability of sweet drinks in schools and beverage taxes seen in some locations, including Philadelphia; Berkeley, California; and Mexico. Data suggests the taxes have a larger impact on those living in low-income homes or neighborhoods.

The trend is heading in a healthier direction, although it may take several strategies to put the sugar genie completely back in the bottle.

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