Rethink Your Drink in July

During the month of July, Napa County celebrates the fifth annual Rethink Your Drink campaign, which aims to educate Napa County residents on the sugar content of popular beverages and encourage everyone to “rethink their drink” by replacing sugary drinks, including soda, juice and sports drinks, with healthier, more affordable beverages like water.

The annual Rethink Your Drink kickoff celebration takes place Tuesday, July 19 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Napa Farmers’ Market, 195 Gasser Drive, in Napa. The celebration will include a prize wheel to spin plus take-home giveaways, a hydration station, story time for children, contests and tips on ways to drink and enjoy water more and other fun children’s activities. Representatives from the Women Infants and Children program (WIC) will be on hand to provide vouchers for healthy foods (including fresh fruits and vegetables) to eligible families.

From 9 to 11 a.m., during the spa water recipe challenge, attendees can taste the spa water entries and vote on their favorite. Also that day, the Napa County Board of Supervisors will officially proclaim July as Rethink Your Drink Month in Napa County. Evidence demonstrates that limiting the consumption of added or free sugars reduces the risk of overweight, obesity and tooth decay. For the greatest health benefits, recommendations suggest limiting added sugars to no more than 6 teaspoons a day for women and 9 teaspoons a day for men. A single can of regular soda exceeds this daily limitation, containing up to 10 teaspoons of added sugars.

In California, 41 percent of children and adolescents and 24 percent of adults drink one or more sodas per day. For each additional sugary drink a child consumes daily, the risk of obesity jumps by 60 percent. Adults who drink one or more sugary drinks a day are 27 percent more likely to be overweight than adults who do not drink sugary drinks. Obesity and weight gain from frequent consumption of sugar sweetened beverages are linked to a whole range of other health problems, including Type 2 Diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and dental cavities.

The Children and Weight Coalition (CWC) includes several agencies working for and with families in Napa County: Community Resources for Children, First 5 Napa County, WIC, Napa County Public Health Department, Queen of the Valley Community Outreac,; Cope Family Center, Dairy Council of California, Nutrition Education Obesity Prevention (NEOP), Napa County Office of Education and other local agencies. Click here for more information about Rethink Your Drink.