The difference between people who drink water and those who drink sodas seems to go beyond preferences. People who drink water will be much healthier than those who choose sodas to accompany their lunch, dinner, or simply to refresh at any time of the day.
These conclusions come from a study performed at Pennsylvania State University. The study showed that girls who take sodas at age five have a diet that doesn’t meet nutrition standards, with low intake of fiber, protein, vitamins C and D, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.
The group of girls who don’t drink sodas didn’t meet nutrition standards either, but proved to have a healthier diet than the rest.
According to Laura Fiorito from the Center for Childhood Obesity Research at the University of Pennsylvania, the difference between the nutrition of both groups “is not given by what the girls eat, but what they don’t eat.”
For example, the group of teens that consumed sodas revealed drinking less milk, and milk is an important source of nutrients.
A Chain of Consequences The lack of dairy products in the diet of a girl or teen has serious health consequences:
• A low intake of calcium leads to an increased risk of bone fractures.
• In turn, a high consumption of added sugars increases dental problems and the development of certain chronic conditions, like type 2 diabetes.
It is also important that young people take vitamin C daily. The Institute of Medicine recommends that adolescents aged 14 to 18 receive at least 65 milligrams of vitamin C per day. Young women who drink sodas showed to have an average intake of 55 mg of vitamin C, while those who don’t drink sodas consume more vitamin C than the standard recommendation—about 70.5 mg daily.
Something to note is that the parents of teenage girls who drink sodas had a higher weight that the parents of the girls who don’t drink sodas. This demonstrates the importance of the example given by adults to their children in order to adopt a healthy diet.
