How The Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health

When was the last time you consumed soda? Most likely, it wasn't that long ago. You may even drink several cans or bottles each day. In the U.S, carbonated soft drinks are a huge business. Every year, they generate more than $50 billion in annual sales.

Two companies ? Coca-Cola and PepsiCo -- dominate the soda market. They are in a constant battle for the market share of the product ? a conflict known as the "Cola War." Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent annually for advertising. Not surprisingly, the companies are always looking for new markets. And, increasingly, they are directing their attention to adolescents and children.

For decades, schools have allowed soda to be sold in on-site vending machines. So, generating income for schools from the sale of soda is not a new policy. However, in the early 1990s, pouring-rights contracts emerged. These put a different spin on the sale of soda in schools. And, over the years, they have increasingly gained in popularity.

In return for the exclusive sale of one-company's product, pouring-rights contracts give school districts large lump-sum payments and extra payments and/or gifts over a period of five or 10 years. The contracts provide additional incentives for consumption levels that surpass quotas. So, they tend to encourage the consumption of higher amounts of soda, even by the youngest students. In one of the most extravagant contracts, a 53-school district in Colorado, gave up its Pepsi vending machines and signed an $8 million, 10 year agreement with Coca-Cola that included cash bonuses when sale targets were exceeded and a new car for a senior with high grades and perfect attendance. But, even the smaller contracts tend to be generous. The goal is to create brand loyalty among young people ? a loyalty that could continue throughout their lives. Without a doubt, administrators in cash-strapped school districts have a litany of reasons to be enticed. But, adherence to the contracts may be taken to extremes. For example, a Georgia student was suspended when he wore a shirt with a Pepsi logo to a student government-sponsored "Coke Day" rally.

So what is contained in a typical soda that may be found in a school vending machine? A 20-ounce screw-top plastic bottle of soda has 275 calories. While there are other ingredients such as flavorings and caffeine, the soda is primarily sugar and carbonated water. High in calories and zero in nutritional value, it is the quintessential "junk food." The Center for Science in the Public Interest refers to soft drinks as "liquid candy." Since the bottles have screw-tops, the liquid may be sipped throughout the day, thereby bathing the teeth with sugar and upsetting dentists. While it is unclear how many sodas a typical student might drink in one day, one is not a bad guess. Just one a day means 1925 empty calories per week. Heavy users drink more than one soda per day. Children who begin drinking soda when they are still young tend to increase the amount they consume through adolescence into young adulthood. Many children drink more soda than juice or milk. While juice and whole milk contain about the same amount of calories as soda, they contain useful vitamins and minerals. Juice and milk are far better nutritional options.

Although the relationship cannot be proven conclusively, soda consumption correlates with obesity. Children who drink sodas take in more calories, are fatter and have worse diets than those who don't. If you need to lose weight, start by replacing sodas with water, fat free or 1% milk, or 100% juice (but not too much).

Copyright ? 2005, by Weight Loss Buddy Press

Joey Dweck is the founder of http://www.weightlossbuddy.com committed to helping you find a 24/7 buddy who will not only help you lose weight but who also will get you to change to a healthy lifestyle. You choose your own diet and your own exercise regime, and we find you a buddy who literally will stick with you through thick and thin. Signing up for a buddy is free. Simply go to http://www.weightlossbuddy.c om or call 1-877-BUDDY-UP.

tidy up service Glenview ..
In The News:

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.
Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.
New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.
A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.
AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.
A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.
New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.
Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.
Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.
Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.
Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.
Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.
Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.
iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.
Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.
FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.
Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.
Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.
Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.
Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.
Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.

5 Tips for Dining Out and Eating Healthily

Here's food for thought! Did you know the average restaurant... Read More

Set Your Fat Thermostat at a Healthy Level

Have you ever watched someone who appears thin and healthy... Read More

Antioxidants and Your Health

Get back to the basics - eat fresh at home... Read More

What is Organic Farming?

Organic farming is the production of food using all natural... Read More

Beverages Boost Calorie Intake, But Many View Fluids As Calorie-free!

Beverages - and not just alcohol - are a significant... Read More

Introduction To Cocaine Addiction

Coke, more commonly known as cocaine is a highly addictive... Read More

Vitamin D - The Sunshine Vitamin!

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin like A and E.... Read More

Maximizing Your Nutrition Dollar

Because of consumer demand, the food industry focus is on... Read More

Allergy Approaches through Nutrition

Spring in New York City is a really magical time.... Read More

Is Organic Really Better for You?

I had finally come to a place in my life... Read More

Startling New Evidence: You Can Slow the Aging Process, Scientists Say

What if you could actually slow your rate of aging,... Read More

Avoiding Nutritionally Deficient Foods After Gastric Bypass

After WLS we must concentrate on eating nutrient rich food.... Read More

Beware of Eating Too Much Protein

The typical American diet already provides plenty of protein and... Read More

Food Labels: Fact or Fiction?

How often do you pick up items at the grocery... Read More

Antioxidants - Add a Lean, Muscular Body to the List of Benefits!

I'm sure by now you've heard all about the amazing... Read More

When You Eat at the Fridge

I spent a few days at a resort in Mexico... Read More

Who Said Bananas Are Not Good For You?

After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in... Read More

The Truth About the Meat You Eat

There are so many topics to discuss which affect our... Read More

You Are What You Eat

You really are what you eat. You are also very... Read More

Blueberries: Healthy and Easy on the Tummy After WLS

All of my life I believed the best way to... Read More

Fasting & Enemas...For A Clean Body Detox

A hundred years ago, life was very different here on... Read More

Nutrition, Evolution, and Having a Healthy Diet

Nutrition has everything to do with health. This isn't news,... Read More

When Is The Penny Going To Finally Drop For People?

Hi Readers,My message today is simple short and perhaps blunt... Read More

Learn About Food Nutrition Facts

Food nutrition factsFinding food nutrition facts and dietary nutrition used... Read More

Lawsuits on Foods and Diets

The dangers of processed foods and diets Why is that... Read More

maid service near Winnetka ..