One-third of all children born in the United States today—and nearly one-half of all Latino and African-American children—will develop type 2 diabetes in their lifetime. A major cause of this epidemic is the consumption of sugary drinks.Source
Just one 12-ounce soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar — more than the daily maximum for adults and more than 3 times the daily maximum for kids.
The young people targeted by sugary drink companies to grow their business are the first generation of Americans expected to live shorter lives than their parents due to type 2 diabetes and related diseases.
Sugary drinks include soda and other carbonated soft drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, juice drinks, sweetened tea and coffee drinks, and sweetened milk or milk alternatives. The added sugar in these drinks add calories but little or no nutrients. Numerous studies of sugary drink consumption and its effects provide evidence that they contribute to the obesity crisis and type 2 diabetes epidemic more than any other kind of food or beverage. For more information on specific drinks, go to www.choosehealthydrinks.org.
The Bigger Picture Campaign is a collaboration between Youth Speaks Inc. and the University of California, San Francisco's Center for Vulnerable Populations designed to combat the rising epidemic of type 2 diabetes by empowering youth to change the conversation about the disease, and work to change the social and environmental factors that have led to its spread. Watch this video now to see The Bigger Picture in action.