Did you know that two-thirds of adults and one-third of children in the United States are overweight or obese? Maintaining a healthy weight is important for your children because it reduces their risk for serious health issues. Here are a few reasons why limiting sugary drinks can help your family maintain a healthy weight!
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- Sugary drinks have a lot of calories! On average, one, 12-ounce soda has 160 calories. Having just one soda a day can add up to lots of extra calories and, without a change in physical activity, unwanted or unhealthy weight gain. Even more, these calories are low in nutritional value, meaning they have a lot of energy but not a lot of nutrition. Consume sugary drinks in moderation to help maintain a healthy weight.
- Science says limiting sugary drinks can help! Many scientific studies have been conducted that show consuming sugary drinks in moderation helps maintain a healthy weight throughout all stages of life. To help your kids maintain a healthy weight, moderation is the key with sugary drinks.
- Sugary drinks does your kids’ appetites no favors. Sugary drinks have simple carbohydrates, or, in other words, energy that can be used very quickly by your kids’ bodies. Replacing simple carbohydrates with complex carbohydrates such a fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains can help keep your kids feel fuller longer. Fullness helps with portion control and keeping your kids blood sugar levels steady. This in turn reduces urges to eat, helping to maintain a healthy weight
Help your children maintain a healthy weight by serving them water, low-fat milk or non-fat milk instead of sugary drinks.
