Over the past few years, health advocates all over the world have advised today’s teens to stay away from sodas for the high sugar count. And while teens are drinking less soda, they are drinking more sports drinks. While more and more teens are drinking sports drinks every year, sports drinks have many calories and are not always necessary.

These Sports Drinks Are Replacing Soda

Nutritionists all over the country steer teens away from sodas because they are blamed for being leading contributors to obesity and diabetes. But instead, teens have been drinking sports drinks rather than soda. According to cbsnews, “A 2010 study in the journal, "Diabetes Care," found daily soda drinkers were 25 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Also phosphoric acid, a main ingredient in soda, has been linked to bone loss in those getting more of the chemical than calcium, according to WebMD. Too much caffeine has also been associated with bone loss, in addition to insomnia, high blood pressure and headaches.” This evidence shows how sodas have many health risks that can cause problems for teens, and efforts such as bans on the carbonated drinks have been put in place, but these bans may have unforeseen consequences. According to reuters, “ ‘It is possible that this may be because sugar-sweetened sodas are less available in schools and teens are turning to sports drinks instead,’ said senior study author Dr. Andrew Adesman of the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York and Northwell Health.” Based on this evidence, one must conclude that the health risks associated with sodas have turned adolescents to sports drinks rather than healthier options. But many teens have not turned to these healthier options.

Extra Calories Are Not Always Necessary

Many teens consume at least one of these sugary beverages a day, but these extra bottles could add extra calories. According to philly and republished on newsela, “A 20-ounce bottle of orange Gatorade has a hefty 34 grams of sugar. It also has 36 grams of carbohydrates and 140 calories.” This evidence goes to show how the consumption of these sports drinks can add calories to turn into extra pounds, especially when adolescents are drinking multiple a day. Nyree Dardarian, a dietician and director for the Center for Integrated Nutrition and Performance at Drexel University in Philadelphia writes that sports drinks are only necessary during high-intensity sports or all day tournaments rather than practices. This evidence proves that all of these extra calories sports drinks bring are not always necessary, but actions have been taken to help reduce the number of sugary drinks consumed.

Taxes Are Helping Cut Down Sports Drinks Consumption

Taxes have been added on to sports drinks and other sugary drinks to cut down on purchases by teens. A study conducted by Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University looks into how the new tax on sweetened beverages in Philadelphia and researchers concluded that people living in Philadelphia are 64% less likely to drink a sports drink. Based on this evidence, one can come to the conclusion that a tax put on sugary drinks, such as the one in Philadelphia, can help reduce the number of sports drinks consumed by teens on a daily basis.

To conclude, sports drinks have a lot of calories and carbohydrates that are consumed o by teens on a daily basis. And while dietists have advised adolescents away from soda for the even higher sugar count, teenagers have instead switched to sports drinks, these sports drinks still have a high calorie count.

Works Cited

Jaslow, Ryan. “Teens Keep Chugging Soda despite Health Risks, Says Study.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 8 Dec. 2011.

Rapaport, Lisa. “Sports Drinks Remain Popular with U.S. Teens.” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 8 May 2018.

Schaefer, Mari A. “Report Shows That Teens Are Drinking Less Soda, but More Sports Drinks.” Report Shows That Teens Are Drinking Less Soda, but More Sports Drinks, Newsela, 2018.