Water Quality And Carbonated Soft Drinks

The Problemmanufacture soft drinks and other fast food
Perhaps the greatest challenge to a healthyproducts but the solution to the problem
lifestyle in the United States today is the inclusionultimately rests within each individual household
of carbonated soft drinks in the individual diet; thisfamily. For example, school programs are subject
is particularly true in the diets of teenagers andto public scrutiny and input from concerned
younger children. Sales of carbonated soft drinksparents can be particularly effective.
in elementary, middle and high schools are ofThe American Dietetic Association and the Center
particular concern to parents and consumer actionfor 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 thatexamples 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 andschool lunch menu and discuss it with your child.
establish a healthy life style for the soft drinkTalk about making healthy choices. Many schools
consumer.offer choices that meet guidelines for good
- Characteristics of Carbonated Soft Drinksnutrition 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 thelunch. Who determines school policies on vending
products. Although they are water based, muchmachines and snacks in the cafeteria and student
of their taste and appeal comes from the additionstore.
of significant amounts of sugar, sugar substitutes- Get involved. Join or start a parent advisory
and other chemicals that are harmful to health. Acouncil for the school food service program. Learn
good portion of their appeal however, comeshow parents and students can participate in the
from the promotion of the products in a waydecision making process.
that is attractive to younger customers.- Support the nutrition education efforts at school.
Beverages containing significant amounts ofIf your school has an edible garden, volunteer to
sugars stimulate the pancreas, boosting insulinhelp. If none exists, create one. Sustainable Table
levels and removing the body from its natural fathas 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 extremelyHelp them pick healthy choices that are fun to
destructive to human tissue.eat, such as string cheese, fruit, carrot sticks and
- Effect on Youthpudding cups. If they pack it, they will be more
High levels of carbonated soft drinks have beenlikely 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 adultsare bombarded with TV advertisements for
and children. A surge of obesity among childrensugary cereal and treats. Point out the techniques
results in the increase rate of diabetes and otheradvertisers 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 obesityhelp their reading skills and make them a smart
among adults and children has risen nearly 50consumer 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 aExpress your concerns about school lunches, the
major business by large corporations andplacement of vending machines at your child's
advertising is one of the foremost components inschool or requirements for physical education
the marketing mix. The messages communicatedprograms.
in an effective marketing campaign are powerful,Source: "It Takes More than An Apple a Day to
yet subtle for all listeners particularly children andKeep Your Child Healthy"
teenagers who have not yet developed a frameThere 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 onAssociation, consumption of Carbonated Soft
children, the authors concluded that:Drinks (CSD) decreased in high schools from
"Children are especially vulnerable to the impact of57.2% of the product mix in 2002 to 44.9% in
advertising. A recent study out of Stanford2005.
University found that one 30-second commercialSimilarly, the consumption of water as a
can influence the brand choices of children aspercentage of the product mix increased from
young as 2. Repeated exposures to ads are even9.1% to 12.7% in the same period. Similar results
more effective. Very young children don'twere reported for middle and elementary schools.
distinguish between a commercial and televisionContinued effort and vigilance is required to keep
programming. And children under 8 aren't able tothis 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' toagainst 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 marketingacross the board budget pressure at all
unhealthy food to children have becomegovernment 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 growthsources of funding.
industry that includes direct advertising,Fundraising events for direct activities or through
sponsorship of sports teams and involvementbooster clubs became an important source of
with fundraisers that add revenue to schools forfunding for sporting and other activities.
activities.An important source of revenue at fundraising
The media is increasingly dominated by advertisingevents was the resale of soft drinks to
dollars from the food industry. Some estimates ofspectators; the profit was considerable. A
total food promotional budgets exceed $30 Billionprogram that replaces carbonated soft drinks in
and continues to grow.the schools for health reasons also requires
Childhood obesity in the United States has grownproducts that generate an equivalent source of
considerably in recent years. Unhealthy weight gainrevenue.
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 societycarbonated 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 abe about 60% to 70% water. Blood is mostly
recent study, Dr. Ramin Alemzadeh, MD, explainswater, and our muscles, lungs and brain all contain
that "diabetes is not the only issue related toa large amount of water.
childhood obesity. Obese children may haveIt is necessary to drink water to regulate body
greater difficulty with high blood pressure, hightemperature and also to provide the means for
cholesterol levels, orthopedic problems, sleepingnutrients to travel to all our organs. Water also
habits, as well as self-esteem and peertransports oxygen to our cells, removes waste
relationships."and protects our joints and organs.
Dr. Alemzadeh cites studies indicating that adultsWater that is pure and free of minerals and
who were obese as children also face significantbacteria 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 Schoolhealthy lifestyle. If you consume coffee or alcohol,
Parents are often told that it is their job toyou should drink at least an equal amount of
promote healthy nutrition, even as corporationswater.
undermine their efforts by spending billions ofWhen you are traveling on an airplane, it is good
dollars marketing junk food to children. This resultsto drink 8 ounces of water for every hour you
in a barrage of food industry ads that promoteare on board the plane. If you live in an arid
unhealthy fares, from the cereal boxes and TVclimate, you should add another 2 servings per
ads at home to the soda and snack vendingday. As you can see, your daily need for water
machines at school.can be significant.
Some 10,000 food industry ads per year forThe best source of water is pure drinking water.
unhealthy foods are aimed at children, from 3Purified drinking water based upon combined
years to teenage years. Ninety-five percent offiltration, distillation and ozonation techniques is
these ads promote fast food, candy, sugaredreadily 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, effortslight refreshing taste.
to ban sugary foods and combat childhood- Water and Fundraising - The Private Label
obesity are being debated around the nation. ThisProgram
increased level of awareness is beginning to takeBottled 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 thewater is as marketable to the consumer as soft
U.S. Congress and Administration; efforts are welldrink sodas and many times more profitable for
underway at the state level to curb aggressivethe fundraisers.
advertising.This is because many bottled water suppliers can
In response, suppliers have increased theireasily supply water that has a private label for the
promotional efforts and many schools, underschool and the occasion. The private label
continued budget pressure, often supplement theiradvertising feature allows the fundraiser the ability
incomes with proceeds from soda and candyto charge a premium for the product and increase
fundraising and booster club sales. In spite of thethe profit on the transaction.
massive promotional budgets of foodSoft drink or soda suppliers do not offer private
manufacturers, a focused effort by consumerlabeling 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