Sweetened drinks lead to childhood obesity

You are what you drink

Part of the study I told you about above will look at ways of preventing obesity among children.  And that is something that seriously needs to happen.

I wrote my first book, Feed Your Kids Well in 1999. It sold well, but clearly was ahead of its time…considering the situation has only gotten worse since then. I was an overweight child and in my class, there were only two of us who were that way out of a class of 44.  Now, the average of a typical class is one in three.

What’s worse, here are the latest statistics: 10% of American children under the age of 2 are obese or overweight. From 2 years old to 10, that figure increases to 25%. And as I wrote in my book oh so many years ago now–the majority of these kids will not “outgrow” that weight.

It’s not just baby fat.

Instead of spending a ridiculous amount of money on a study we don’t need, why not start with what makes sense: Examine what kids today are eating. Or, better yet, what they’re drinking.

One recent study examined the number of sugar sweetened drinks consumed by the teenage population. (Surprise! They drink them.)

However, the study failed to mention that the milk and 100% fruit juice that these kids drink also have an enormous amount of sugar. Instead these items got a pass and were deemed OK.

But the truth is: there is more sugar per ounce of apple juice than in Coke!

And sugar is sugar. Your body can’t tell whether it comes from fruit or is bleached to death and comes in a can.

And as for milk–it has less sugar than the same amount of soda but more calories…so how is that healthy? Kids can get the calcium and vitamin D they need from other sources that don’t have as much sugar and may actually be good for them–like dark green leafy vegetables. And so can we for that matter.

After all, setting a good example is the best way to teach kids how to be healthy.