One more reason to keep your kids away from soft drinks: That daily can of soda becomes an addiction for teenage girls as they consume more carbonated drinks and far less milk (not a healthy choice either if it's pasteurized), according to a new study.
Researchers monitored the health of some 2,400 girls who maintained food diaries for a decade, between ages 9-19. Not surprisingly, girls who drank more soft drinks, consumed less milk and had a higher body mass index. Moreover, patients consuming more soft drinks, fruit-flavored drinks, tea and coffee took in more calories and sugar but less calcium, according to the lead researcher.
Here's two telling numbers: Both black and white girls tripled their intake of soft drinks as they got older, just as their milk consumption fell by at least 30 percent.
There's no doubt in my mind why soft drinks have dethroned white bread as the top source of calories in the American diet. How you make the switch from sodas to clean fresh water, however, can be a problem. A clever variation of the Emotional Freedom Technique, the energy psychology tool used daily in my practice, called Turbo Tapping may do the trick.
Journal of Pediatrics, Vol. 148, No. 2, February 2006: 183-187
iVillage February 24, 2006