The University of Kentucky Health News states: “Drinking a can of sugar-sweetened beverage a day increases your risk of developing pre-diabetes by 46 percent, according to a recent study.

“As many as one in three Kentucky adults, about 1.1 million people, are estimated to have pre-diabetes, but only 8.6 percent, more than 248,000 people, have reported being diagnosed, according to the Kentucky Department for Public Health and the CDC,” Darla Carter of The Courier-Journal reported in an in-depth look at diabetes in Kentucky” (Kentucky, Health News, 2016).

A weekly men’s substance use recovery group participated in the University of Kentucky’s Nutrition Education Program through the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service. The Healthy Choices for Every Body program was offered and one of the lessons taught was Know the Limits for Everybody. The lesson informed the class of the reasons why saturated and trans fats, salt, and sugar should be limited in our diet. During the lesson, the Nutrition Education Program Assistant discussed with group members about sugar sweetened beverages and how these beverages increase calories, how the sugar turns into fat, and the increase in chronic diseases from drinking too many sugar sweetened beverages. The Nutrition Education Program Assistant showed the group how much sugar is in a 20 ounce bottle of soda.

The Nutrition Education Program Assistant gave out samples of mixed berry seltzer water for the group to taste. The SNAP-Education Assistant informed the group that the seltzer water had the fizz of soda with zero calories and no artificial sweeteners. The majority of the group liked the seltzer water. After the class, one member in the group commented to the Nutrition Education Program Assistant, "You made me think a lot about making changes to the food I feed my kids." The group’s exit surveys showed that seven out of the ten men in the class were drinking less soda after completing the program!