Nutrition Bytes

Regular, non-diet, soft drinks are responsible for one third of the excessive amount of added sweeteners in the diets of children and adolescents (5). Children and adolescents who drink regular soft drinks have a higher caloric intake than those who not drink regular soft drinks (3). Furthermore, BMI and the frequency of obesity were found to increase for each additional serving of sugar sweetened drink consumed by children (10 to 12 years) (6). The increased level of sweetener in regular soft drinks increases children's caloric intake and is a contributory factor in the development of pediatric and adolescent obesity. Obesity is caused by a variety of factors, and the role of beverage consumption on caloric intake has not been emphasized. Research and policy need to put more energy into examining the relationship between sugar sweetened beverages, especially regular soft drinks, and the development of obesity.