Health District encourages Soda Free Summer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 7, 2014

LAS VEGAS – Consider: . . .

• There are 10 teaspoons of sugar in a 12-oz bottle of soda.
• Soda and sugary drinks contribute to tooth decay in infants.
• Teens drink twice as much soda as milk.
• Americans consume approximately 42 gallons of sweetened drinks
annually.

The Southern Nevada Health District’s 2nd annual Soda Free Summer Initiative is underway to encourage children and adults to choose healthier beverages and reduce or eliminate sugary drinks from their diets. Soda Free Summer pledges are available on the Get Healthy Clark County website, www.GetHealthyClarkCounty.org.

Sugar sweetened beverages are the single largest source of added sugars in the American diet. The average American consumes nearly 42 gallons of sweetened beverages a year – the equivalent of 39 pounds of extra sugar. A 20-ounce bottle of soda contains the equivalent of approximately 16 teaspoons of sugar. The American Heart Association recommends that Americans consume no more than six to nine teaspoons of added sugar per day.

In the past 40 years, portion sizes and consumption of sugary beverages have increased. Research has found a link between the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and higher rates of obesity, oral health problems and overall poor diets. In addition, about 50 percent of the U.S. population drinks at least one sugary beverage a day and a quarter of them have more than one. Soda, sweetened fruit drinks, sports drinks and energy drinks account for nearly half of all added sugar consumption in the American diet.

Adults and children can reduce their risk of obesity and obesity-related illnesses, diabetes, tooth decay and even gout by making healthier beverage choices such as water, fat-free or 1 percent milk, seltzer or unsweetened tea or coffee. Cutting out one can of soda per day can reduce caloric intake by about 150 calories and 10 teaspoons of sugar.

The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.