According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics, “Consumption of sugar drinks in the United States has increased over the last 30 years among both children and adults (1–3). Sugar drinks have been linked to poor diet quality, weight gain, obesity, and, in adults, type 2 diabetes (4,5). “   

A seven-week program, Healthy Choices for Everybody, was presented by a Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Services SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education) assistant for SNAP eligible individuals, to a men’s substance use recovery group in Jefferson County, Kentucky. The program provided nutrition education, food resource management, food safety, portion control, and information about physical activity. One of the lessons taught was on Knowing the Limits for Everybody. In the lesson, the SNAP-Ed. Assistant discussed the calorie count, the zero nutritional benefits, and showed the group how much sugar is in these beverages. After the lesson, a recover group participant told the SNAP-Ed. Assistant, “I don’t eat a lot here but drink a lot of soda and could be the cause of my weight gain.”.

Six men completed the program and five and out six in the group showed an 83% improvement in drinking less sugary drinks, like soda. The same client that was quoted earlier informed the SNAP-Ed. Assistant, “I used to drink 3 a day and now I am down to 1 to 3 a week and hope to drink even less in the future.”.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics, NCHS data brief · August 2011  https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sohyun-Park-21/publication/225055767_Consumption_of_sugar_drinks_in_the_United_States_2005-2008/links/0fcfd50b3c386a2f45000000/Consumption-of-sugar-drinks-in-the-United-States-2005-2008.pdf