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Jane Boyd, Long Neck Elementary School nurse, attended the 5-2-1-Almost None Backpack training offered by Nemours Health & Prevention Services. She then helped students develop a sugar demonstration for families and visitors.
The sugar demonstration served as a visual representation of how much sugar (10 teaspoons) is in one average can of soda. In addition, the students asked parents to put sugary drinks in order of sugar content.
The students promoted healthy alternatives to sugary drinks such as milk and 100 percent juice, which are rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients - things that are good for the health of children and the entire family.
One bottle of soda (20 ounces) has about 18 teaspoons of sugar. A person would have to bike for about one hour to burn off the calories in a 20-ounce bottle of cola.
Everyone likes to drink a soda now and then - and that’s okay. But kids today are drinking too much soda.
Soft drink consumption has more than doubled since 1971. The average teenage boy drinks two 12-ounce sodas per day, adding up to more than 700 cans per year. The average teenage girl drinks 1.4 12-ounce sodas per day, adding up to more than 500 cans per year.
Sugary drinks also can cause tooth decay. In addition to the extra calories, drinking too many sugary drinks poses a risk for cavities because of their high sugar content.
These drinks may also erode tooth enamel because of their acidity.
When kids drink more sugary drinks, they drink less milk. Calcium and vitamin D are important, but only 14.3 percent of children drink three or more glasses of milk a day.
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