A survey of 560 children ages 8 to 13 years found some revealing information about how often they drank soft drinks and the factors that influence soft drink consumption. Parents are the strongest influence on kids' soda drinking behavior, stronger even than the influence of peers. So parents, if you want your children to be healthier, and if you want to be healthier, one of the easiest and most powerful things you can do for your health is to stop drinking soda. If you are still not convinced that soda is bad for your health, check out the amazing statistics and dangers of soda pop. Other findings of the survey include:
- 30 percent of children reported drinking soft drinks daily and 85 percent reported they usually drink regular, not diet soft drinks
- 96 percent of respondents said that they liked or strongly like the taste of soft drinks
- The odds of drinking soft drinks almost daily was twice as likely for those who watched television 3.5 hours or more a day than those who watched less television
- The availability of soft drinks at home and the availability of soft drink vending machines in school were both strongly associated with children's soft drink consumption
Journal of the American Dietetic Association August 2004;104(8):1244-9