This statement is intended to inform pediatricians and other health care professionals, parents, superintendents, and school board members about nutritional concerns regarding soft drink consumption in schools. Potential health problems associated with high intake of sweetened drinks are 1) overweight or obesity attributable to additional calories in the diet; 2) displacement of milk consumption, resulting in calcium deficiency with an attendant risk of osteoporosis and fractures; and 3) dental caries and potential enamel erosion. Contracts with school districts for exclusive soft drink rights encourage consumption directly and indirectly. School officials and parents need to become well informed about the health implications of vended drinks in school before making a decision about student access to them. A clearly defined, district-wide policy that restricts the sale of soft drinks will safeguard against health problems as a result of overconsumption.
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January 2004
Web address for CMAJ article referred to in my submission re low-fat milk has been changed to:
http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/eppp- archive/100/201/300/cdn_medical_association/cmaj/vol-157/issue-8/1020a.htm
Thomas D. Anderson, Ph.D.
With reference to the recommendations listed in "Soft Drinks In Schools" -- there is no reason whatsoever to offer children milk from which some of the fat has been removed. Children need natural fats, and dairy fats are among the freshest and most nutritious fats available. Moreover, it is counterproductive to offer them only defatted milk. They don't like it. It doesn't taste good. This is precisely why they go for the sweetened drinks, and one of the reasons they tend to crave fatty junk foods.
It is also inappropriate to offer them chocolate milk which typically contains a full teaspoon of sugar per ounce - the same amount found in most soft drinks.
I touched on these matters in a letter to the Canadian Medical Association Journal some years ago which can be read at:
http://collection.nlc- bnc.ca/100/201/300/cdn_medical_association/cmaj/vol- 157/issue-8/1020a.htm
Thomas Anderson, Ph.D. Summerland, British Columbia healthsciences@telus.net