Soda in school

Should soda's be banned from being sold from schools?

Obviously, since this is such a controversial issue there are valid points on either side. There's the health issue, and then there are the issues of money, choice, etc. However, I believe that sodas, despite being unhealthy, should not be banned from schools.

First of all, selling soda is lucrative for schools, which need all the money they can get. Banning sodas takes away from a significant portion of the revenue earned from food & drink sales.

Second, juice can be just as bad as soda. An integral step in reducing obesity in children is cutting out all sugary drinks. This includes juice. Banning soda sales would be ineffective in significantly reducing the number of obese children because, if sodas were taken away, kids and teens would simply buy high-sugar, high-calorie juice & energy drinks (the latter are significantly worse than soda). Jean Welsh, a researcher of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, conducted a study that found that juice is a substantial source of unnecessary calories in kids. While sodas are unhealthy for children, juice can be just as bad. According to Dr. David Ludwig, an expert on pediactric obesity at children’s Hospital Boston, juice and sodas are “largely the same. They are 100% sugar.” In some instances juice can have more calories in it than soda. According to CBS News, “a 12-ounce bottle of grape soda has 159 calories. The same amount of unsweetened grape juice packs 228 calories.” According to NPR News, many dieticians recommend not drinking juice, but instead drinking naturally flavored water enriched with vitamins. So if a body of government wishes to diminish obesity, we must not only decrease the amount of soft drinks children consume, but also the amount of juice. However, I think that maybe occasional nutrition classes would better serve students than banning all soft drinks.

Also, the choice between soda and healthy alternatives should be presented to children. Schools can inform kids of the information regarding al drinks being sold (maybe as part of some class), and then allow them to choose. Allowing kids to make choices that have a direct impact on themselves is important in developing key decision making skills. If every choice is made for kids, as is increasingly becoming the case, then they won't know how to make education decisions for themselves as they age. As I said before, there should be occasional nutrition classes for kids to allow them to make more informed decisions.

Again, there are valid point on both sides. If you're really concerned about nutrition, then milk, water, and enriched, low calorie drinks should only be served. However, this could severely cut revenues for schools and diminish the number of choices kids are allowed to make for themselves.