After years of rising soda consumption among teens, the trend appears to be fizzling

By DOUG HANNEMAN
Editor

Three years ago, back in soda pop’s heydays, Hutchinson High School students could buy a 20-ounce bottle of their favorite carbonated-caffeinated beverage anytime of the day.

They didn’t have to walk far, either. Vending machines were scattered throughout the school, eager to take students’ four quarters.

Soft drink accessibility was good for school groups that depended on vending machine revenue. It also was good for dentists’ pocketbooks, though the dentists in town warned their patients about the dental dangers of soda’s sugar and acid.

Then came the federal government and its new health policies for schools. School District 423 responded by developing a wellness committee in spring 2006.

It suddenly became a bad time for soda swillers at Hutchinson High School. Bottle sizes got smaller. Some vending machines disappeared, and those that remained were moved closer to the cafeteria. Machines were turned off during the lunch hour. And in place of some sodas, students found milk, water, sports drinks and juices.

Paul Szymanski, the district’s activities director, said he doesn’t know if the pop pull-back has benefited students’ health. “If anything, we’ve made the kids take a second thought,” he said. “It’s more of an awareness thing.”

Making the switch
Health educators have been raising awareness of the health risks of soft drinks and other sugar- and caffeine-laced beverages for many years. But it’s been an uphill battle. Since the late 1970s, per capita pop consumption has doubled. The most significant spike in soda consumption has been among children and adolescents.

Replacing soda with milk and other healthful beverages is a good decision for young people, according to Jean Johnson and Kelly Ward, health educators for McLeod County Public Health.

But convincing schools of the importance of making the switch hasn’t been easy. “Pop is a money maker for the schools, so it’s a Catch 22 for them,” Ward said.

The problem is compounded by a widely held misconception that a can of diet pop is better for teens’ health than a glass of calcium-rich milk. Milk contains calories, diet pop doesn’t, teens often argue.

“Sixth-graders drink a lot of milk,” Johnson said. But by the time they’re in 12th grade, drinking milk is no longer “considered cool,” she said.

Thanks to health initiatives such as those taken at Hutchinson High School, the trend appears to be reversing.
The Minnesota Student Survey, which poses behavioral questions to sixth-, ninth- and 12th-graders every three years, has found that soft drink consumption is decreasing in the state. In 2001, 65 percent of sixth-graders admitted to drinking at least one or more sodas per day. By 2007, it had dropped to 52 percent. For 12th-graders, the rate had dropped from 68 percent in 2001 to 55 percent in 2007.

In McLeod County, the numbers are not as positive. In 2004, 75 percent of ninth-grade boys drank at least one soda a day, compared to 58 percent of girls. Among 12th-graders, 84 percent of boys drank at least one soda a day, compared to 53 percent of girls. The most serious soda habit was reported among 12th-grade boys: 16 percent reported drinking five or more sodas a day.

The reasons for the recent downward trend are many, but raised health consciousness is a big reason, educators believe.

Parents who want their children to limit their pop consumption need to limit their own intake, Johnson said. “Parents need to help children to build their self-esteem so they can decide, ‘What would you choose?’”

Pop consumption also follows socioeconomic lines. Families with lower incomes tend to drink more soda. “People living in poverty want their child to have fun and having pop is one thing that’s normal that they can do,” Johnson said.

What’s the problem with pop?
An occasional soda is not bad for most people. Moderation is the key. Here’s what needs to be watched:

Obesity: KidsHealth, a health education group, says consuming one 12-ounce sweetened soft drink a day increases a child’s risk of obesity by 60 percent. A typical 12-ounce can of soda contains 12 teaspoons of high-fructose corn syrup. Sugar actually would be better. With high-fructose corn syrup, “your body is still hungry,” said health educator Jean Johnson. “Your body doesn’t recognize you’re full so you just keep eating.”

But even pop with sugar poses concerns. Health educators suggest having no more than 12 teaspoons of added sugar a day. “It’s not bad to have a glass of pop,” Johnson said. “But then, you have to watch everything else.”

Caffeine: A typical 12-ounce can of cola contains between 45 and 55 milligrams of caffeine. Health educators say the recommended daily intake for teens is 100 milligrams a day, and preschoolers should have no more than 45 milligrams a day. Health educator Kelly Ward cautions that caffeine can cause dehydration, headaches, lethargy, jitteriness and it can be addictive.

Acid: The Minnesota Dental Association warns patients that acid found in most soft drinks attacks teeth. Acid in soft drinks, whether they contain sugar or not, is the primary cause of weakening tooth enamel. Phosphoric acid can also be bad for bones.

Diet Soda with vitamins

According to the Beverage Marketing Corp., New York City, Americans drank around 4.7 billion gallons of diet soft drinks in 2007, so with the culture's emphasis on vitamin enhancement, it’s obvious why soda companies want a piece of the action. But like the waters, products like Diet Coke Plus and Pepsi’s Tava only offer select additives that don’t fulfill daily requirements. Some researchers also wonder if diet soda contributes to weight gain. “Our research and data showed that the more diet sodas people drink, the more weight they gained,” says Sharon Fowler, MPH, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. “Is that a causal relationship or because of other reasons of lifestyle, we don’t know.”

Energy drinks

For some people, energy drinks offer a boost without the bitter taste of coffee. But according to Leslie Bonci, RD, MPH, they bring their own problems. “Unless they say sugar-free, they’re probably pretty high in sugar content,” says Bonci, director of sports medicine nutrition for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. And though the boost might be satisfying, these drinks probably are not the optimal caffeine source for your body. Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, suggest choosing coffee or tea instead because they actually fight disease, and coffee may reduce risk of diabetes.

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