| The Problem | | | | manufacture soft drinks and other fast food |
| Perhaps the greatest challenge to a healthy | | | | products but the solution to the problem |
| lifestyle in the United States today is the inclusion | | | | ultimately rests within each individual household |
| of carbonated soft drinks in the individual diet; this | | | | family. For example, school programs are subject |
| is particularly true in the diets of teenagers and | | | | to public scrutiny and input from concerned |
| younger children. Sales of carbonated soft drinks | | | | parents can be particularly effective. |
| in elementary, middle and high schools are of | | | | The American Dietetic Association and the Center |
| particular concern to parents and consumer action | | | | for Health and Health Care in Schools offer |
| groups. | | | | suggestions on how you can improve your child's |
| | | | nutrition at school and at home. Some of these |
| However, evidence is starting to emerge that | | | | examples are as follows: |
| soft drinks are not healthy for the individual. | | | | - Get familiar with the menu. Keep a current |
| Therefore, changes are required to ensure and | | | | school lunch menu and discuss it with your child. |
| establish a healthy life style for the soft drink | | | | Talk about making healthy choices. Many schools |
| consumer. | | | | offer choices that meet guidelines for good |
| - Characteristics of Carbonated Soft Drinks | | | | nutrition if students make the right choices. |
| Carbonated soft drinks are widely consumed and | | | | - Ask questions. Find out who decides what is for |
| present a unique problem to those drinking the | | | | lunch. Who determines school policies on vending |
| products. Although they are water based, much | | | | machines and snacks in the cafeteria and student |
| of their taste and appeal comes from the addition | | | | store. |
| of significant amounts of sugar, sugar substitutes | | | | - Get involved. Join or start a parent advisory |
| and other chemicals that are harmful to health. A | | | | council for the school food service program. Learn |
| good portion of their appeal however, comes | | | | how parents and students can participate in the |
| from the promotion of the products in a way | | | | decision making process. |
| that is attractive to younger customers. | | | | - Support the nutrition education efforts at school. |
| Beverages containing significant amounts of | | | | If your school has an edible garden, volunteer to |
| sugars stimulate the pancreas, boosting insulin | | | | help. If none exists, create one. Sustainable Table |
| levels and removing the body from its natural fat | | | | has information about how to start one. |
| burning state. Colas, in particular, contain caffeine, | | | | - Encourage your child to pack his/her own lunch. |
| sugar, sodium and acid that are extremely | | | | Help them pick healthy choices that are fun to |
| destructive to human tissue. | | | | eat, such as string cheese, fruit, carrot sticks and |
| - Effect on Youth | | | | pudding cups. If they pack it, they will be more |
| High levels of carbonated soft drinks have been | | | | likely to eat it. |
| traced to the increase in Childhood Obesity. | | | | - Make your child a savvy media consumer. Kids |
| Obesity is a major health problem for both adults | | | | are bombarded with TV advertisements for |
| and children. A surge of obesity among children | | | | sugary cereal and treats. Point out the techniques |
| results in the increase rate of diabetes and other | | | | advertisers use to make their products attractive. |
| types of systemic health problems. | | | | - Teach your child about nutritional labels. It will |
| In the last two decades, the incidence of obesity | | | | help their reading skills and make them a smart |
| among adults and children has risen nearly 50 | | | | consumer if you make a game out of finding out |
| percent. As defined by federal standards, | | | | how many names there are for "sugar" in a label. |
| approximately 30 percent of adults and 25 | | | | - Advocate for the laws you want. Write to your |
| percent of children are considered obese today. | | | | representatives at the state and federal levels. |
| The sale of carbonated soft drink products is a | | | | Express your concerns about school lunches, the |
| major business by large corporations and | | | | placement of vending machines at your child's |
| advertising is one of the foremost components in | | | | school or requirements for physical education |
| the marketing mix. The messages communicated | | | | programs. |
| in an effective marketing campaign are powerful, | | | | Source: "It Takes More than An Apple a Day to |
| yet subtle for all listeners particularly children and | | | | Keep Your Child Healthy" |
| teenagers who have not yet developed a frame | | | | There is currently and there continues to be |
| of reference that allows understanding. | | | | progress in children's health education. In a recent |
| In a recent article by Susan Linn and Diane E. | | | | report commissioned by the American Beverage |
| Levin that studied the impact of advertising on | | | | Association, consumption of Carbonated Soft |
| children, the authors concluded that: | | | | Drinks (CSD) decreased in high schools from |
| "Children are especially vulnerable to the impact of | | | | 57.2% of the product mix in 2002 to 44.9% in |
| advertising. A recent study out of Stanford | | | | 2005. |
| University found that one 30-second commercial | | | | Similarly, the consumption of water as a |
| can influence the brand choices of children as | | | | percentage of the product mix increased from |
| young as 2. Repeated exposures to ads are even | | | | 9.1% to 12.7% in the same period. Similar results |
| more effective. Very young children don't | | | | were reported for middle and elementary schools. |
| distinguish between a commercial and television | | | | Continued effort and vigilance is required to keep |
| programming. And children under 8 aren't able to | | | | this project in constant development. |
| understand that ads are created to convince | | | | - School Budgets and Fundraising |
| people to buy products." | | | | An important element to consider in the fight |
| Source: "Stop Marketing 'Yummy Food' to | | | | against junk food obesity is the role of junk food |
| Children" | | | | products in fundraising for schools. As a result of |
| In the past decade, techniques for marketing | | | | across the board budget pressure at all |
| unhealthy food to children have become | | | | government levels, school boards have reduced |
| increasingly sophisticated, subtle and effective. | | | | many activities or look toward other non tax |
| Marketing junk food in schools is a growth | | | | sources of funding. |
| industry that includes direct advertising, | | | | Fundraising events for direct activities or through |
| sponsorship of sports teams and involvement | | | | booster clubs became an important source of |
| with fundraisers that add revenue to schools for | | | | funding for sporting and other activities. |
| activities. | | | | An important source of revenue at fundraising |
| The media is increasingly dominated by advertising | | | | events was the resale of soft drinks to |
| dollars from the food industry. Some estimates of | | | | spectators; the profit was considerable. A |
| total food promotional budgets exceed $30 Billion | | | | program that replaces carbonated soft drinks in |
| and continues to grow. | | | | the schools for health reasons also requires |
| Childhood obesity in the United States has grown | | | | products that generate an equivalent source of |
| considerably in recent years. Unhealthy weight gain | | | | revenue. |
| due to poor diet and lack of exercise is | | | | - The Pure Water Element |
| responsible for over 300,000 deaths each year. | | | | Bottled drinking water is an ideal substitute for |
| More shocking is that the annual cost to society | | | | carbonated soft drinks if the quality is high and |
| for obesity of all forms now exceeds $90 Billion. | | | | the taste is appealing. Our bodies are estimated to |
| There are indirect effects of obesity as well. In a | | | | be about 60% to 70% water. Blood is mostly |
| recent study, Dr. Ramin Alemzadeh, MD, explains | | | | water, and our muscles, lungs and brain all contain |
| that "diabetes is not the only issue related to | | | | a large amount of water. |
| childhood obesity. Obese children may have | | | | It is necessary to drink water to regulate body |
| greater difficulty with high blood pressure, high | | | | temperature and also to provide the means for |
| cholesterol levels, orthopedic problems, sleeping | | | | nutrients to travel to all our organs. Water also |
| habits, as well as self-esteem and peer | | | | transports oxygen to our cells, removes waste |
| relationships." | | | | and protects our joints and organs. |
| Dr. Alemzadeh cites studies indicating that adults | | | | Water that is pure and free of minerals and |
| who were obese as children also face significant | | | | bacteria is the ideal source for the hydration of |
| health and social difficulties later in life. | | | | our bodies and a significant contributor to a |
| - Soft Drinks in the School | | | | healthy lifestyle. If you consume coffee or alcohol, |
| Parents are often told that it is their job to | | | | you should drink at least an equal amount of |
| promote healthy nutrition, even as corporations | | | | water. |
| undermine their efforts by spending billions of | | | | When you are traveling on an airplane, it is good |
| dollars marketing junk food to children. This results | | | | to drink 8 ounces of water for every hour you |
| in a barrage of food industry ads that promote | | | | are on board the plane. If you live in an arid |
| unhealthy fares, from the cereal boxes and TV | | | | climate, you should add another 2 servings per |
| ads at home to the soda and snack vending | | | | day. As you can see, your daily need for water |
| machines at school. | | | | can be significant. |
| Some 10,000 food industry ads per year for | | | | The best source of water is pure drinking water. |
| unhealthy foods are aimed at children, from 3 | | | | Purified drinking water based upon combined |
| years to teenage years. Ninety-five percent of | | | | filtration, distillation and ozonation techniques is |
| these ads promote fast food, candy, sugared | | | | readily available in the market today. This process |
| cereals and soft drinks. | | | | guarantees a high-quality product combined with a |
| From the school board to the statehouse, efforts | | | | light refreshing taste. |
| to ban sugary foods and combat childhood | | | | - Water and Fundraising - The Private Label |
| obesity are being debated around the nation. This | | | | Program |
| increased level of awareness is beginning to take | | | | Bottled drinking water is an ideal replacement for |
| effect but continued effort is required. | | | | soda in the fundraising process. Because of the |
| Solving the problem requires effort on all levels. | | | | increased demand for pure drinking water, bottled |
| Consumer protection groups are pressuring the | | | | water is as marketable to the consumer as soft |
| U.S. Congress and Administration; efforts are well | | | | drink sodas and many times more profitable for |
| underway at the state level to curb aggressive | | | | the fundraisers. |
| advertising. | | | | This is because many bottled water suppliers can |
| In response, suppliers have increased their | | | | easily supply water that has a private label for the |
| promotional efforts and many schools, under | | | | school and the occasion. The private label |
| continued budget pressure, often supplement their | | | | advertising feature allows the fundraiser the ability |
| incomes with proceeds from soda and candy | | | | to charge a premium for the product and increase |
| fundraising and booster club sales. In spite of the | | | | the profit on the transaction. |
| massive promotional budgets of food | | | | Soft drink or soda suppliers do not offer private |
| manufacturers, a focused effort by consumer | | | | labeling for their products because the strategy of |
| groups and parents is already in progress. | | | | these suppliers is to increase the recognition of |
| - What Can Parents Do? | | | | their own brand. |
| It is easy to blame large corporations who | | | | |