Soda Health Threat?
A consumer group says soft drinks pose a health threat to American teens. But what, exactly, is that health threat? Is there something in soda that's really so bad? News Specialist Shannon Ogden reports.
The average American teenage boy drinks three cans of soda every day... girls drink two cans.
BOY: "50 OUNCES.
REPORTER: A DAY?
BOY: YEAH. A LOT."
BOY: "AS MANY AS I CAN GET AHOLD OF. MY PARENTS DON'T LIKE ME TO DRINK
IT.
REPORTER: SO YOU DRINK IT AT SCHOOL?
BOY: YEAH.
REPORTER: TWO OR THREE CANS?
BOY: MAYBE MORE."
According to the report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, one-fourth of the teens who drink soda get 25 percent or more of their calories from the soft drinks.
KELLY KELLER/BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIETICIAN: "THIS BAG SHOWS HOW MUCH SUGAR 12 OUNCES OF A COLA HAS. TEN TABLESPOONS. SO FOUR COKES A DAY IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE OVER 3/4 OF A CUP OF SUGAR."
That's too much sugar. And that much sugar brings obvious concerns of tooth decay.
But the real problem with soft drinks is they have no nutritional value. None. And kids are drinking soda in place of water or milk, that does a body good. Also, drinking a lot of soda at a young age forms bad habits.
KELLY KELLER/BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIETICIAN: "THE BAD HABITS IN THE FUTURE CAN LEAD TO OBESITY IF IT'S NOT ALREADY LEADING TO THAT AS A CHILD."
SHANNON OGDEN, EYEWITNESS NEWS: "SO PARENTS, DIETICIANS SAY YOU SHOULD JUST ASSUME YOUR KIDS ARE DRINKING SOFT DRINKS AT SCHOOL. SO GIVE THEM MILK OR WATER WHEN THEY'RE AT HOME. REMEMBER, IF IT HAS NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE... WELL, YOUR KIDS ARE BETTER OFF WITHOUT IT."
Dieticians say children should have just one can of soda a day, at most. Two or three a week is a healthier target.
