In an effort to set a good example to patients and the community, University of Michigan Health System and the University of Michigan Medical School are removing all sugar-sweetened beverages from their campuses. The policy, set to take effect in mid-November, also removes sports drinks, fruit-flavored drinks, energy drink,s and sweetened tea at dozens of its ...
Read MoreSeattle Mayor Mike McGinn announced that he is considering the idea of a penny-per-once tax on sugary drinks to a mayoral forum sponsored by the Seattle Parks Foundation in late September 2013. The mayor, who has not proposed this idea formally to city council yet, says the money could be used to fund park expansions and maintenance. Studies show that Latino kids consume more sugary drinks than the national average, but a change in the cost of those drinks could reduce kids' consumption of extra ...
Read MoreThe Center for Disease Control and Prevention's "Rethink Your Drink" is an educational campaign that informs kids and parents about the hidden sugar in everyday beverages. The campaign promotes water as the best alternative to sugary drinks, whether its tap water, sparkling water, or water with a little fruit juice. Communities across the country have used materials from "Rethink your Drink" to educate folks about sugary drinks. The California Department of Public Health has taken a lead role in promoting healthy beverage choices through "Rethink your Drink." Some noteworthy resources include: Brochure with sugar and calorie information on everyday drinks and healthier alternatives A pledge you and your family can sign committing to reduce your ...
Read More"Rethink Your Drink" began as a educational campaign captained by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Many communities across the country have used the campaign to educate folks on how sugary drinks affect your body and to identify healthy, tasty alternatives to high-calorie sugar-sweetened beverages. Currently, Riverside County, California is bringing medical professionals, schools, policy makers, and community groups together to fight sugary drinks through the "Rethink Your Drink" campaign. With the prevalence of childhood obesity in Riverside County at 38.2 percent (higher than California’s 38 percent) and, with scientific evidence that links consumption of sugary beverages with weight gain as being stronger than any other food category, the campaign has been ...
Read MoreKick the Can is your one stop shop for all things related to sugary drinks. Whether you want to learn more about how soda affects your body or discover which cities and states are taking action to limit access to sugar-sweetened beverages, Kick the Can is here to help. Kick the Can is a project of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA), a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that raises awareness about critical public health issues and mobilizes communities to promote the establishment of effective state and local health ...
Read MoreSan Jose City Councilman Ash Kalra wants the city to consider not providing sugary drinks and whole milk at city property and events. He says that the city needs to be accountable for the types of beverages they are promoting, noting that sugary drinks are associated with unhealthy weights in children and adults. Plain and carbonated water, drinks sweetened with pure fruit juice, skim milk, 1-2 percent milk and non-sugary milk substitutes such as soy beverages would be acceptable beverages under Kalra's guidelines. Kalra asked the council's agenda-setting committee on August 28 to consider the idea, but the proposal did not move past that ...
Read More
If sugar is so bad for us, why do we crave it? "High rates of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease: the legacy, some experts say, of sugar." National Geographic traces our love affair with sugar back 10,000 years in the article Sugar Love (A Not So Sweet Story). Learn about sugar's journey around the world, first as a luxury item and later as a household staple, and how the sweet substance affects our bodies and our ...
Read MoreThe town of Telluride, Colorado voted in November 2013 against placing a one cent per ounce tax on sugar Earlier in the year, the Town Council voted 5-2 to let voters decide if they want to place a tax on sugary drinks sold in Telluride. Sugary drinks would have included regular soda, energy drinks, sports drinks, and packaged sweetened teas and coffees. The new revenue, roughly estimated between $200,000 and $400,000 annually, would have funded scholarships, physical activity-centered after school programs and gardening programs to educate children on growing fresh vegetables. This issue was initially proposed by a citizen’s group called the Partnership for Lifelong Active Youth (PLAY). Check out their op-ed in the Telluride Daily Planet to learn more about the soda tax. In ...
Read MoreSoda, sweetened fruit drinks, sports drinks, and energy drinks account for nearly half of all added sugar consumption in the average American diet. "Recommendations for Healthier Beverages" was published by Healthy Eating Research in March 2013 in response to America's growing addiction to sugary drinks. Schools, child-care centers, hospitals, governments, and businesses can use the guidelines to provide children and families with healthy beverage ...
Read More