Beverage consumption contributes approximately 20% of caloric intake in youth and adolescent diets. Beverages can contain importantnutrients, but they also contribute to excess consumption of added sugars andcalories. Between 2011-2015 sugar sweetened beverage consumption dropped amonghigh school students, however, consumption of healthier choices such as juice,milk, and water decreased. 

In an effort to decrease sugar sweetened beverageconsumption among local high school students, the Family and Consumer ScienceExtension Program implemented the Making Healthy Beverage Choices: What You Don’tKnow can Hurt You lesson to all freshman health class students. Students weretaught the importance of reading food and beverage labels, various sugarsweetened beverages to be aware of (sodas aren’t the only beverages laced withexcess sugar), how to make better choices, and lastly, they were shown a visualdemonstration of how many sugar cubes were in a variety of drinks. Studentswere also taught the risk factors that accompany intake of excess sugar andcalories. 

One hundred and five students, divided into 4 differentclasses, participated. The following are some significant data collected uponcompletion of the program: 

Level of Understanding: 

83% of students realized the importance of making water the beverage of choice.
75% of students were better able to identify a sugar sweetened beverage.

Behavior Change: 

78% of students plan to reduce sugar sweetened beverages byone or more per day.
77% plan to set at least one goal related to making healthy beverage choices.
86% will substitute water as a drink of choice once or more per day. 

The Family and Consumer Science Extension Program will visita new set of freshman health students one more time for this school year andnew data will be added to this successful story.