Selling Soft Drinks in Schools Has Ruined the Health of Adolescents

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One source of controversy in today’s society is the availability of soft drinks in schools. Soft drinks are a part of American culture; companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi are classic American brands. Many people are accustomed to having these drinks as part of their daily lives; however, the negative effects these beverages can have, especially when available in schools to adolescents, are commonly overlooked. Though there are some benefits of having these drinks available, it is clear that the negative health effects, as well as the problems created for schools, outweigh these benefits. School officials, parents, and adolescents need to be more informed about the risks of consuming soft drinks and make changes to eliminate soft drinks in schools.

One of the main health concerns associated with soft drink consumption is obesity, especially when discussing the health of developing adolescents. Many medical personnel agree that when people drink soda, they add extra calories into their diet, which is one of the main reasons weight gain occurs. Also, when sugar and calories are ingested through liquids, people tend to consume more, because liquid sugars do not take the place of calories in foods, but add to them (Murray). For example, theDietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that the amount of added sugars ingested per day should be limited to 12 teaspoons, but recent intakes of added sugars have been measured at 200 to 300 kcals over this suggested limit (White). However, although there is strong evidence that illustrates a correlation between consuming soft drinks and obesity, it cannot be said definitely that these two things are directly linked. Another negative effect of drinking soda is the decrease in the consumpt...

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Nestle, Marion. “Soft Drink “Pouring Rights”: Marketing Empty Calories.” Public Health Reports 115 (2000): 308-19. PubMed. Web. 28 Oct. 2011.

Story, Mary, Marilyn S. Nanney, and Marlene B. Schwartz. “Schools and Obesity Prevention: Creating School Environments and Policies to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity.” Milbank Quarterly 87.1 (2009): 71-100.EBSCOhost. Web. 3 Nov. 2011.

White, Adrienne A., Susan Nitzke, and Karen E. Peterson. “Are Soft Drinks Getting a Bum Rap? We Don’t Think So.” Journal of Nutrition Education & Behavior 36.5 (2004): 266-71. EBSCOhost. Web. 24 Oct. 2011.

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