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U j J Sodas top source of dietary sugar Rosie Los Angeles Times Some people deride them as sugar water others as liquid candy Never favorites with dietitians or parents sodas arc are receiving more and more nutritional nutritional nutritional heat these days days and and the drumbeat to run them out of schools is growing louder Legislation is on the march with soda anti-soda measures under consideration in many states and school districts The American Beverage Association which represents most US U.S. soft drink suppliers is offering some concessions about school concessions At an August meeting and in page full ads in major newspapers it resolved to remove sodas entirely entirely entirely entire entire- ly from elementary schools allow school middle-school kids access to full calorie sodas and fruit drinks only after school hours and ensure that no more than 50 percent of the vending machine beverage offerings in high schools are soft drinks Why all this pointing finger-pointing at sodas After all we live in an environment brimming with burgers fries snack cakes and chips dealt in heftier and heftier portions to kids slumped in front of televisions and computers What earthly effect can limiting just one item the item the beverage beverage- have on the health and weight of our offspring 5 Nutrition scientists agree that that I getting children to move more mord mordI I and eat better arc are important But they also say that this spotlight on sugary soft sofi drinks makes sense These drinks are our No 1 t dietary source of added sugars they say Studies connect them to body heft and nutrient short short- falls And that moniker liquid candy is spot-on spot The drinks are pretty much bereft of nutritional nutritional nutritional value If if you have to cut calories why not start with sugar water says Dr Carlos Camargo associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School But dont don't just focus on sodas experts add By 1976 soft drink sales had surpassed those of milk Since 1971 soda consumption has doubled Juice drinks sports drinks energy drinks laden calorie-laden coffee coffee coffee cof cof- fee and even juice itself will help pack on pounds if imbibed to excess and more than artificially artificially artificially arti arti- sweetened sodas will The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that school-age school children limit their fruit juice to 8 to 12 ounces daily r t i- i 1 i It j I I replenishing Electrolyte-replenishing sports sports drinks vh which in iii rl the plait phin vo Would ld remain in middle and high schools are arc useful after very vigorous exercise but hardly needed after a minute 30 P PE E. E session Theres sort of a misperception tion about the role that sports drinks play in a nutritious diet says Rachel Johnson professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont If a childs child's thirsty water is the best beverage In 2002 a i report from the federally federally federally fed fed- mandated Institute of Medicine found that people consuming consuming consuming con con- suming lots of added sugars were more likely to be deficient in such as calcium calcium calcium calci calci- um phosphorus and magnesium magnesium magne magne- shun as well as various vita vita- mins On the basis of these nutrient deficiencies the panel recommended recommended mended that we limit our added sugar intake to no more than 25 percent of our daily calories Another cautionary note against sugar was sounded earlier earli earli- er this year in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans which guides federal nutrition education and school lunches Members of the committee acknowledged that good studies linking soft drinks and excess heft are arc few and the relationships relationships relationships relation relation- ships when found are sometimes weak says committee member Joanne Lupton professor of nutrition at Texas AM University Still the committee felt there yas' yas evidence to s suggest i 10 1 my r i i pe people pi 1119 lower th their their Gadded r added s sugar gar J j t i l' l i intake especially from sugar- sugar 5 I a au u f I 5 r 4 l t J j I. 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S H d MI t 4 hf K j 6 rr A 7 jK jKr 1 1 Q o. o Q r A 1 AA U A student visits the soda machine for liquid sugar sweetened beverages she says In one study the committee considered considered considered con con- scientists at the Childrens Children's Hospital Boston tracked schoolchildren of various for 19 months They found that kids who increased their consumption consumption consumption tion of sweetened sugar-sweetened drinks during the study's course had slightly higher body mass indexes index index- es and were more likely to be obese after afier taking into account other lifestyle differences such as levels of physical activity Each added ounce 8 daily serving serving serving ing of soft drink increased the chance of being obese by 60 percent percent percent per per- cent the scientists found In another study British scientists lists tested t school-based school a cam eam they dubbed Ditch the Fizz Classrooms at six elementary elementary ele ele- mentar schools were exposed to the campaign which used nutrition lessons and class exercises exercises exercises exer exer- soda drink to discourage ing mg Some scientists worry about sugary drinks in particular because theres there's evidence that calories we drink versus eat may not be counted by our appetite regulation system If its it's liquid and contributing calories its it's a potentially problematic problematic problematic component of the diet says Rick Mattes foods and nutrition professor at Purdue University in- in t t- t Lafayette Ind d. d t v i 9 f tA J t 1 I |