You're STILL drinking Soda in Lafayette LA?! I would suggest that it's time to "re-think your drink"…

Sugar from soda & other sweetened beverages is the #1 source of calories in the American diet. ~ USDA Research Center at Tufts University

In the last 50 years, soda consumption has increased by over 500% and somehow this sweet, sparkling, empty-calorie drink has become America's "go-to" beverage.

Of course, mass advertising and availability (its not only available at every drive-thru and convenience store across the nation but now at public schools!) Of course this is great for Coca-cola, Pepsi and other soda manufacturers, but there are serious health consequences for children and adults who consume it daily.

Would you be shocked if I told you we are the fattest country in the world? The rate of obesity has tripled in the last two decades and within these last 20 years, soda consumption among children has tripled for boys and doubled for girls. How is sugar related to weight gain? (You may be asking…)

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition states…

"In the United States, on average, a 12-oz serving of soda [12 oz = 1 soda = 1 serving] provides 150 calories and 40-50 grams of sugar in the form of high-fructose corn syrup. This is equivalent to 10 teaspoons of white granulated sugar. If these calories are added to the typical US diet without reducing intake from other sources, 1 serving of soda per day adds an additional 150 calories per day which could lead to a weight gain of 15 lb in 1 year."

Still not feeling this applies to you? What if I told you that a recent study in the Lancet Medical Journal states that drinking one soda or sweetened beverage a day increases the risk for obesity among children by 60%. 60%? Is anyone else reading this thinking about the "other" epidemic: DIABETES?

It is obvious that soda consumption puts children at risk for learning and behavioral disorders based on the amount of sugar they are consuming in one serving (HINT: Sugar = hyperactivity) But what about Type 2 diabetes? Previously known as 'adult onset' diabetes, because it rarely struck those under the age of 50, Type 2 diabetes has now reached epidemic proportions among children over the past decade.

An unfortunate fact is that during these last ten years, mass marketing campaigns by soda manufacturers not only reached public school systems, but were successfully introduced. Whether you have children or not, whether you have grandchildren or not and finally whether you drink soda or not, this is an issue that affects our community as a whole. If you place a high priority on your health in Lafayette LA - consider the health of our future leaders: today's children. To get started its really quite simple: just begin by passing up on soda! And of course - sharing this information with the ones you love

So, Dr., how much sugar am I actually drinking?
A 20-ounce bottle of soda can contain 65 grams of sugar - that's approximately 22 packets of sugar in just one serving.

FACT: A typical adult has to walk briskly for 46 minutes to burn the calories in a 20-ounce soda.

FACT: A typical 10-year-old has to bike vigorously for 30 minutes to burn the calories in a 12-ounce soda.

Sweeteners that add calories to a beverage go by many different names and are not always obvious to anyone looking at the ingredients list. Some common caloric sweeteners are listed below. If these appear in the ingredients list of your favorite beverage, you are drinking a sugar-loaded drink:

• High-fructose corn syrup
• Fructose
• Fruit juice concentrates
• Honey
• Sugar
• Syrup
• Corn syrup
• Sucrose
• Dextrose

Tips for Healthy Drink Choices:

• Choose water, water, water!
• To make is nice-and-easy on yourself, keep water stocked in your home and readily available.
• My advice: Carry a re-usable stainless steel bottle around with you everywhere you go and simply continue to refill it throughout the day.
• Make water more exciting by adding slices of lemon, lime, cucumber, or watermelon, or drink seltzer water! (There are TONS of delicious, naturally flavored seltzer options that contain NO sugar and NO sodium).
• Add a splash of 100% juice (lemon, lime, orange, etc.) to plain seltzer water for a refreshing, low-calorie drink.