California children are drinking less soda but are getting more calories from sugary sports and energy products

Children and teenagers in California are filling up on sports and energy drinks that contain similar amounts of sweeteners and pose the same health risks as soda, according to a new  study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.“There should be a warning label on flavored water, sports and energy drinks that says, ‘We may seem like a healthy choice, but we’re loaded with sugar, too,’” said Joelle Wolstein, research scientist at the center and lead author of the study. “People seem unaware that these drinks have the same or even higher amounts of added sweeteners as soda.”According to research cited in the study, drinking beverages that contain added sweeteners is linked to adults and children becoming overweight or obese, which increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, liver disease, dental decay and other health problems. Nearly 1 in 3 California adolescents ages 12 to 17 is overweight or obese, according to  previous research by the authors.Using  California Health Interview Survey data from 2003 through 2014, the study focuses on consumption of regular soda, sports, energy and juice drinks with added sweeteners by Californians ages 2 to 17. The authors found that overall, 2 in 5 of those children drank at least one sugary beverage a day in 2013-14, the most recent data avai lable.More children drank sports and energy drinks than soda in all age groups, according to the study, which was supported by  The California Endowment. Fifteen pe...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news