The Bad Habit Of Drinking Soda

Sugary beverages suggest a poor dietary quality; they are loaded with added sugars and attribute to the body’s energy density. “A 20-year study on 120,000 men and women found that people who increased their sugary drink consumption by one 12-ounce serving per day gained more weight over time—about 4 pounds per year” (19). Through increasing the daily intake in trivial increments, the body substantially results in an increased BMI (body mass index) and an increased body fat percentage score. Another study conducted at Harvard found that a 60 percent increase occurs in children for each 12-ounce they additionally drink daily. (________) The growing correlation between obesity and sugar has led to further studies, and statistical data. Researchers have revealed that in total, “half the people in the U.S. consume sugary drinks; 1 in 4 get at least 200 calories from such drinks; and 5% get at least 567 calories.” It was additionally found that one-fourth of Americans are consuming more than 135 grams of sugar per day from soda and other sweetened beverages, which compares to people of the past who only had 10 grams of fructose a day (_____). Such a high daily intake of sugar and calories illustrates the risk that arises when people consume too much sugar; that is, sugary drinks result in weight issues and medical consequences.

“Soda pop has become a firmly entrenched staple of the American diet and as American as

Soda consumption can lead to numerous, serious health issues. It can decrease calcium absorption in the intestines. Calcium is necessary not only for keeping our bones strong, but also to help our nerves send messages to our brain and muscles contract. Less calcium can lead low bone density and fractured bones. Soda consumption can lead to health issues such as obesity and diabetes. The more soda consumed the higher insulin level. High insulin levels can result in visceral fat gain, leading to America’s major problem; obesity. 24.1% of Californians are obese and 18.4% are obese in Cupertino. Although our body needs cholesterol to function like anything, too much can be harmful. High cholesterol can clog the coronary arteries, which surround and supply the heart. The outcome of high cholesterol is heart disease. Another health issue which can occur if consumption of soda is very high is diabetes. Diabetes occurs when the body can’t produce enough insulin or can’t use the insulin the body produces properly. The higher the consumption of SSB(Sugar sweetened beverages) the higher chance of getting diabetes. Barry Popkin, a professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina, says that "the people getting diabetes are people who consume very high levels of SSBs and have only slightly reduced in these very high levels of their soda consumption."

Recently, people have become worried about the health issues associated with consuming sugary drinks, especially soda. The rate of people being diagnosed with type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease has been going up primarily because of beverages with added sugar (Cited in Crawford, 2016). Several studies have found that soda is linked to over 180,000 deaths per year (Cited in Crawford, 2016). An article by the Huffington Post (2011) said that an average American drinks about 44.7 gallons of carbonated beverages a year, which adds up to over 350 pounds of soda. Comparatively, in 2005 an average American drank only 0.5 gallons, making soft drinks the most consumed beverage in America (n/a, 2011). The way the government is trying to fix

A single can of soda can have at least ten teaspoons of sugar, that is already the daily maximum recommended intake. Sugar can increase cholesterol levels, heart disease, diabetes and weight gain.Moreover. The obesity is a colossal problem in America. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention 35.9% of U.S. adults over the age of twenty are obese (CDC, 2013). The CDC also notes that 69.2% of U.S. adults twenty years of age and over are overweight. The obesity problem does not only affect adults in the U.S. The CDC notes that 18.4% of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 19 are currently obese (CDC, 2013). These numbers show the harshness of the obesity problem in this

The impact sugary sodas have on our bodies is known by everybody. But this didn’t stop people consume large quantities of sugary beverages. This is what the change observed in the consumption of such drinks appears to be curious. In accordance with the report, the average American has cut down on soda consumption by 25 percent in the last 25 years.

"WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay. This is a message from the City and County of San Francisco” (Tama, M., 2015). Will this warning detour the American public from drinking sugary beverages? In 2011-2013, the Center for Disease Control reported that two states Colorado and Hawaii had less than 20% obesity. The Midwest led the country with a 28.7% obesity rate. When surveyed again in 2013, the South now leads the countries obesity epidemic with 30.2 % and the Midwest comes in a close second with 30.1%. There are no longer any states that fall beneath the 20% threshold (Obesity Prevalence Maps, 2013). With obesity rates rising, researchers are focusing on what leads to these statistics so that it can be reversed. These startling statistics requires action to be taken to reverse this growing epidemic. Obesity, Tooth decay, and Type 2 Diabetes have been linked to negative side effects of sugary beverages. As a leader in healthcare, Mayo Clinic should remove sugary drinks and foods from their hospitals, clinics, and health systems to model healthy living.

There’s a consistent flood of warnings these days about the widespread habit of drinking sugar-laden soda, with most focusing on obesity-related health issues.

Is soda really that bad? Time and time again magazines, schools, and television say that sodas are harmful to the body. They go on to scare people to death, by saying that sodas have been linked to obesity. They state that the rising consumption of sugary drinks has been a major contributor to the obesity epidemic (Harvard). They also say, that it is related to kidney damage and cancer (Boyles). In reality, these sodas are not as bad as they have been made out to be, as long as they are drunk in moderation. Drinking one soda will not kill people, soda is not the enemy! As a matter of fact, sodas have a great benefit to everyone who drinks them, from curing multiple stomach issues, giving people that extra boost to get you through the day, to using it as a multi-purpose household cleaner. Come and join the millions of soda drinkers and enjoy the pleasing taste and big benefits found is this small can.

Those figures include teens who consumed little or no soda pop. For the average 13- to 18-year-old boy or girl drinker, soft drinks provide about 9% of calories. Boys and girls in the 75th percentile of consumption obtained 12% of their calories from soft drinks, and those in the 90th percentile about 18% of their calories." (USDA) As much as this world revolves around weight and looks, it seems that by giving up a soda or two per day would be a very smart start towards that "diet" that many of us are looking for. By giving up this one beverage, and not replacing it with something as sugary, it would be a big step in the right direction for people who are not happy with the way that they look. Many nutritionists state that soft drinks and other calorie-rich, nutrient-poor foods can fit into a good diet. In theory, they are correct, but, regrettably, they ignore the fact that most Americans consume great quantities of soft drinks and meager quantities of healthful foods. One

Soda companies “dramatically announced that they would aim to cut the number of sugary drinks calories by twenty percent over the next ten years by reducing the portion size and trying to sell more zero-calorie and low calorie options.” By reducing the portion size, Americans could be drinking more cans, and possibly drinking more ounces than they were originally. As for the zero-calorie and low calorie options, the drinks are considered by doctors to be worst than the original because they contain artificial sweeteners that are not ‘natural sugars’, but chemically made sugars that puts an individual at greater risk of being morbidly obese by slowing their metabolisms, and is also known to elevate their blood pressure. Mexico’s soda consumption and obesity rate was once worst than the United States a few years ago, Mexico then established “a significant tax on soda and junk food.. Soda consumption in Mexico fell by a couple of percent points almost immediately.. there was almost as large increase in the sale of bottled water (not taxed).” Mexico had went ahead with its initiative to stop their nation’s problem, as for the United States, soda has become a major part of our diets. I believe that is restricting us from progressing from this aggravated problem.

It is very common for people to be obese or overweight now a days then it was before. The number of obese Americans has increased dramatically over the last 40 years (Mantel). This epidemic has led people all around the nation to find a way to reduce obesity . One of the biggest questions surrounding obesity is, why obesity been so prevalent today than it was 50 years ago. The answer? Simple, It has been shown that soda has been the great contributor to obesity by far. Back in in the 1900’s soda was seen as a luxury or a threat. In today’s age, Soda is an everyday drink. Another factor is that sizes of soda have gotten larger over the years. In the 1950s the 12-ounce can was introduced and it became widely available in 1960. Thirty years later the 20-ounce plastic bottles were seen as the regular sized bottle. Now, soda comes in plastic bottles which are available larger sizes,such as the 1.25-liter (“Sugary Drinks and Obesity Fact Sheet”). Lastly, the biggest factor of them all, the amount of sugar soda. The amount a single can of soda contains is roughly about 39 grams of sugar. Converting those grams of sugar to teaspoons, one consumes about 9.75 teaspoons per can. According to

Soda isn’t the best thing people should be drinking due to all the calories and sugar in just one serving alone.But that doesn’t mean we should be putting labels on the drink telling consumers that these drinks are really bad.People will still continue to drink soda even if it has a warning label on it.Scientific studies show that smokers who the label on a pack will most likely smoke more.Even though this is a problem putting a label is truly the wrong approach.We should take an approach that will actually affect the choice of the consumer.

Focus/Thesis: Over the years soda has become a staple in our lives, and is unfortunately extremely toxic to our bodies. Which is why we need to make the effort to limit the amount we drink and make ourselves aware of the risks we expose to our health when choosing to drink soda.

Considering that soft drinks are one of the most popular drinks to a lot of people all around the world, unfortunately, a lot of them love to drink it almost every day and may not live without it. Soda becomes addictive, preventing one from drinking what the body needs the most which is water. In the market, there is a infinite amount of choices with multiple varieties of flavors, different tastes, ranges from classic soda to diet soda. However, consumers do not recognize clearly the negative effect of soft drinks that have a high chance of eroding their health away. Some of these examples include dental erosion, energy intake, obesity and other health issues. Nowadays, people live a healthy life to avoid health problems, so taxes on soft