Teens Drink More Water Than Soda

Gone are the days of the popularity of the Big Gulp. Sugary sodas are officially becoming less and less popular with youth, according to a new government survey. Water is the new beverage of choice for young people who are looking to stay healthy and hydrated.

According to the survey, consumption of sugary sodas declined by a whopping one-third in only two years. This may be a reaction to the rise of research and information about the risks related to drinking too much soda, mainly weight gain, diabetes, heart disease and obesity. The health campaigns to make the drink less attractive and less available have worked.

Many sodas and sugary drinks are completely banned from public buildings, including schools and government agencies, which do not carry the beverages in cafeterias or vending machines. Some states have also approved a sales tax on soda, which makes the drinks less affordable.

Not only have state governments got on board in fighting the unhealthy effects of soda pop, even the corporations that make them are on track to make the beverages healthier. Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola have all promised to reduce the calorie count in each soda drink by one-fifth in the next ten years.

The results of the survey clearly show that efforts to make the sugary drinks with empty calories less attractive are working well. In 2015 only 20% of teenagers drank a soda one or more times in a day during one week, while in 2007 that number was 34%. A whopping 26% reported that they had not drank any sugar sodas or drinks in one week, which is a far better number than 19% in 2007.

Not only is soda more difficult to come by for kids these days, as many of them can no longer purchase the drinks at school, water is also becoming the beverage of choice. Last year, 74% of teens drank at least one glass of water every day, and 64% said they drank two or more.

Soda simply is not cool anymore, and the kids are showing us this trend in their beverage choices. The survey shows that this decline in popularity will continue to grow and soda is on its way out.

However, the CDC is conducting more research to be sure that teens are not substituting soda for other sugary alternatives like energy drinks, sugary iced teas, and sports drinks.

As a society, we are getting healthier every year, and the teens are on the forefront of this change for the better.