Cultural Background
The FSANZ phone survey of adolescents and young adults in Australia found that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were more likely to consume sugar-sweetened soft drinks compared to other Australians (72 per cent versus 50 per cent) and consumed significantly larger amounts (249 ml versus 128 ml per day) (Food Standards Australia New Zealand 2003a). The 2004 SPANS survey of children in Years 6–10 in NSW found consumption of soft drinks to be lowest among students of Asian background and highest among boys of Southern European and Middle Eastern background (Booth et al. 2006).
Gender
Fewer girls than boys consume soft drink in Australia, and among those that do, girls consume smaller amounts of soft drink than
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One of the few studies examining the factors affecting soft drink consumption in adults showed that consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks was associated with less restrained and more external eating, i.e. sensitive to external stimuli such as taste (Elfhag et al. 2007). The study, conducted among 3265 adults in Sweden showed that, in contrast, diet soft drinks were consumed by persons with a higher body mass index (BMI) (possibly in an attempt to reduce their weight), more restrained eating and more emotional eating.
Parents as Models
A study in Australia showed that the influence of mothers, either as models of eating behaviours or as the providers of food, is pervasive (Campbell et al. 2007). Parental soft drink consumption was positively associated with younger children’s intake in two studies (Grimm et al. 2004; Vereecken et al. 2004). Mother’s consumption was found to be an independent predictor for regular soft drink consumption among children in Belgium (Vereecken et al. 2004). In the US, children aged 8–13 years whose parents regularly drank soft drinks were nearly three times more likely to consume soft drinks five or more times per week compared with those whose parents did not regularly drink soft drinks (Grimm et al. 2004).
A higher frequency of preparing food was found to be related to lower intakes of carbonated beverages among female adolescents in the US (Larson
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.
Coke or Pepsi? Diet or regular? These are questions that many of us hear on a regular basis when making choices about what we want to drink. But if a new law has its way this variety of drink choice could be no more, which is largely because soda and sugary beverages are contributing to the staggering increase in obesity rates in recent years in the United States. Obesity is defined as an abnormal accumulation of body fat that is usually 20% or more over an individual’s ideal body weight for their specific height, age and gender (Free Medical Dictionary 2007). Body weight and obesity risk are a result of genes, metabolism, behavior, environment, culture and socioeconomic status, wherein behavior and environment play two of the largest roles (University of Drexel 2015). People make decisions based on their environment or community which influence their health decisions and due to this it is essential to create environments that make is easier for people to engage in physical activity and eat a healthy diet (University of Drexel 2015). This is a problem that is particularly persistent in low-income populations causing them to suffer higher rates of obesity and the adverse health consequences that follow as a result of these poor diets. This is due in large part to their poor economic state but also their environment because they are surrounded by people that are in similar situations and dealing
Excess consumption of high-calorie, low-nutrient foods and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are risk factors for obesity.1
The third source I looked was an article which is ‘First tobacco, now sugar. Next they’ll regulate our trousers’. The purpose of this article is to persuade the government not to step in and tell people what to eat, drink and how to be healthy because people have their own rights to live, however they decide to live. This article is both sided for and against as well because the source has an interesting fact that drink fizzy drinks are not good for our health as it contain a lot of sugar. This point I have used as a for because this point tells me that not only changing the food will help you to stay away from obesity, drinking a lot of fizzy drink might link to serious disease like being obese. A quote to prove my point is “do you know that fizzy drinks and chocolate are bad
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
The final data point I looked at was sugary drinks consumed at school (%SUGAR). This survey question looked at middle/high schools that offered sugary drinks. The data point consists of the percentage of schools that responded that they offered sugary drinks. These could come from the cafeteria or a vending machine. While sugary drinks alone are not a big factor, they are usually consumed along with other unhealthy items.
(Dehghan et al., 2005). Fast food is also consumed every day by one third of American children
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
Marketing and advertising in Australia promotes the consumption of specific foods in the name of “health” and “wellbeing”. In his new book, The Blood Sugar 10 Day Detox Diet, Dr Mark Hyman claims that sugar is the new nicotine (SUHR, Heather, 2015). In 2013, a group of researches concluded that that sugar is 8 times more addictive than cocaine. They found that Oreo cookies activated more neurons in the brain’s ‘pleasure centre’ than exposure to drugs (SUHR, Heather, 2015). These claims have resulted in a trend towards reducing or eliminating sugar in one’s diet. The sugar-free diet has become one of particular interest amongst Australians. The less extreme form of the diet permits low sugar fruits, non starchy vegetables and restricts all added sugars, honey, processed foods, chocolate, desserts, sweetened yoghurt, most breakfast cereals, sauces, soups and marinades. On the extreme end, the diet involves cutting out all types of sugar and often carbohydrates, including fruits, vegetables and dairy products. Companies have manipulated this trend to more successfully market their products to appeal to consumers. The term ‘sugar free’ is popularly used to appeal to health-conscious shoppers. Companies such as Coca-Cola developed the drink ‘Coke-zero,’ claiming that it has zero sugar. However, to maintain the taste, artificial sweeteners are used instead.
In a meta-analysis combined by a group of researchers, results found that soft drinks—a product with an immense amount of sugar—are associated with increased body weight (Vartanian, Schwartx & Brownell 2007). Certain behavioural issues have also been shown to have an impact on weight gain. A 2013 suggests these findings as study boys aged 10-17 and girls aged 10-17 who were diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, abbreviated as ADHD, have a higher chance of being overweight than children in the general population (Holtkamp K, Konrad K, Müller B, Heussen N, Herpertz S, Herpertz-Dahlmann B, et al. (2004). There are emotional factors like depression and certain behavioural aspects that may influence an onset of obesity in the
• Per Capita Consumption of Soft Drink in Brazil is increasing by average rate of
Also, any families spend their time together by eating meals while watching television, which can cause children to overeat (Denney-Wilson). Often partnered with fast food, soft drinks have risen to popularity. Many parents are unaware that one 12 ounce can of soda is filled with 10 teaspoons of sugar. Just one additional serving of soda increases a child’s odds of obesity by 60% (“1 Can of…”). If parents are made aware of what they are feeding their children, it might help reduce the percentage of obese children in the United States. Although most families would react to obesity by trying to feed their children healthier meals, some lower-income families are unable to afford the best quality food for their families. One study showed that children from households that are experiencing financial insecurity are more prone to health issues than those who are not experiencing these same issues (Yoo). The government should help these lower-income families by providing them with monetary support to purchase healthy food. Not only will the incorporation of a healthy diet help children overcome their weight problems, it can have an added benefit of helping them academically. Researchers have found that children who eat healthy meals will report better scores on standardized tests (Williams). By changing the diet of their children, parents can help their children to overcome their weight problems.
In recent years, sugary foods and drinks that people like to consume have become an
One fundamental cause of obesity is diet. Adolescence is perfect example of this. Students might have breakfast and lunch at schools. The vast majority of students’ lunches often consist of crisps, chocolate bars and soft drinks, which are high energy foods and due to unbalance energy. (Oliver, 2010). According to research, 25% teenagers are already obese. (ibid). To save money or reduce expenses, schools provide unhealthy foods or junk foods. When soft drinks which were coca cola came into the global economy, drinking soft drinks became popular in schools. The data gives a detailed situation. If a student only has one tin of coca he might has 8 tablespoons of sugar and the rest can be done in the same manner one, a month is 240 tablespoons sugar from drinks. (ibid). Frequent, red meat, large meals high in refined grains, sugary drinks, unhealthy fats are typical Western diet. (Harvard School of Public Health, 2014).
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