Rethink Your Drink - Nutrition Services: Alameda County Public Health Department

Alameda County Public Health Department’s Soda Free Summer campaign is well underway, encouraging you to “rethink your drink” and “kick the can”. Why? Check out these alarming statistics:

• Soda, energy drinks and sports drinks are the largest source of added sugar in the average American's diet.[1]
• In California, 41% of children (2-11 years old) and 62% of adolescents (12-17 years old) drink at least one or more sodas every day – that’s nearly 39 pounds of sugar each year in sugar sweetened beverages alone![2]
• Children have a 60% increased risk for obesity with every additional daily serving of soda[3]

Isn’t it time to rethink your drink? It’s easy; just follow these steps to reduce your consumption of sugary beverages:

• Choose water, unsweetened iced tea or non-fat milk instead of sugary drinks.

• Flavor a pitcher of water with slices of fresh fruit and herbs for a refreshing treat.
• Limit drinking 100% fruit juice to a half-cup daily.
• “Like” us on facebook and follow us on twitter to stay up to date on the campaign and for chances to win soda free prizes every Friday all summer long.

Join us at www.sodafreesummer.org today!

For more information about Alameda County Public Health Nutrition Services’ programs, visit www.healthyliving.org.

[1] U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. 7th Edition, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, December 2010.

[2] Babey SH, Jones M, Yu H, Goldstein H. Bubbling Over: Soda Consumption and Its Link to Obesity in California. UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and California Center for Public Health Advocacy. Sept 2009.

[3] Ludwig, DS, Peterson KE, Gortmaker SL. Relationship between consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and childhood obesity: a prospective, observational analysis. Lancet. 2001; 357:505-8.