Trailer for The Weight of the Nation
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Yourself
Committed: Drink water instead of sugary drinks
Take This Action
Commit to this action for yourself to help overcome the obesity epidemic.
Rethink Your Drink
- Know how to identify sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs).
- SSBs include soda, sport drinks, fruit drinks and punches, sweetened coffee and tea, energy drinks, horchata, and other sweet drinks.
- When you look at a beverage label, any of these words mean "sugar":
- agave nectar, cane sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, fruit juice concentrates, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, molasses, sucrose27
- Keep sugar- sweetened beverages out of the house.
- Among children and adults, the majority of calories from sugar-sweetened beverages are consumed at home24.
- Choose plain, low-fat or fat-free milk for your child instead of sweetened flavored milks (e.g., strawberry milk or chocolate milk).
- Make water appealing and accessible.
- Buy a filtered water pitcher to keep in the refrigerator.
- Reusable water bottles can make it easier to drink water on the go, and save money.
- Add some mint leaves or slices of cucumber, lemon, or lime.
- Understand the importance of water for proper hydration.
- Water should be the primary beverage for children, including most kids engaged in routine physical activity.
- Sports drinks should only be consumed after high-intensity activities that last a longer than an hour28.
- Avoid energy drinks.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics concluded that energy drinks are never a good choice for children and adolescents and should not be consumed28.
- Keep a reusable water bottle or glass at your work desk.
- Skip the extras when ordering coffee such as whipped cream, flavor shots, and chocolate syrup.
The information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice.
Fact
Sugary drinks are a major source of calories for children ages 2-18.
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