Sep. 18--A study released Thursday cites evidence confirming a long-suspected link between soft drink consumption and expanding waistlines.
And it suggests that residents of the Northern San Joaquin Valley are tipping the scales by drinking large volumes of soda pop.
The report, titled "Bubbling Over: Soda Consumption and Its Link to Obesity in California," was produced by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, a nonprofit center concerned with public health issues. The study broke down the numbers by city and county.
In Modesto, 57 percent of children and adolescents, and 32 percent of adults, consume one or more soft drinks per day. That is well more than the state average of 49 percent and 24 percent, respectively.
Children in Merced gulped and burped their way to the highest city ranking, with 62 percent of kids age 2 to 17 downing one or more sodas a day. According to the study, teenagers in San Joaquin County are the state's soda-pop kings. Almost eight out of 10 twist the cap on at least one soft drink per day.
No reliable data was available on how many teenagers are soda drinkers in Stanislaus and Merced counties, but health officials believe it's no less than the statewide rate of 62 percent.
"We drink soda like water," said Dr. Harold Goldstein, executive director of the Center for Public Health Advocacy. "But unlike water, a 20-ounce soda has 17 teaspoons of sugar. ... If we are serious about curbing the obesity epidemic, we need to start with the biggest culprit."
Local obesity rates are higher than the statewide rate of 56 percent for adults. In Stanislaus County, 67 percent of adults are overweight or obese; the rate is 70 percent in San Joaquin County and 67 percent in Merced County.
Being overweight puts people at greater risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.
Brands such as Mountain Dew and Coca-Cola are not the only beverages laden with sweeteners such as sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup. Those ingredients are found in sports drinks, iced teas and fruit drinks.
Major differences by county
Goldstein said that previous research showed a correlation between soft drinks and obesity. But this time the findings are supported by a major population study. The data came from the California Health Interview Survey, which every two years conducts phone interviews with more than 40,000 households in the state.
The study found major differences in consumption rates by county. Sugar- sweetened beverages were not as popular in San Francisco, Marin and other Bay Area counties, while some of the heaviest drinking counties were in the sun-baked San Joaquin Valley.
Phoebe Leung, assistant director of health services for Stanislaus County, said she believes that soda consumption is a contributing factor for obesity in the valley.
"The weather is hot, soda is marketed to kids, and it is cheap and readily available from any fast food place or vending machine," she said.
A 20-ounce soda has about 250 calories, so an adult drinking one soda per day can put on 26 pounds in a year, she said. Cutting back on sugar-laden drinks is a proven way of losing weight, she added.
The county Health Services Agency tries to teach young people the dietary facts about soft drinks through its childhood obesity prevention initiative. It has encouraged schools to remove soda from campus vending machines and prohibit soft drink sales at sporting events.
It's starting to talk with employers about replacing sweetened beverages in lunchrooms with water or other options.
The American Beverage Association issued a statement contesting the study's findings, saying it isn't right to single out beverages as the cause of obesity.
"This study does not demonstrate cause and effect, because like all epidemiological studies, it looks at correlations," the statement read. "In fact, the compendium of science shows that soft drinks do not uniquely contribute to obesity or any other chronic disease."
Industry urges moderation
The association said the industry provides a wide variety of beverages, including diet drinks with few or no calories, and it educates consumers about the importance of an active, healthy lifestyle.
"The fact remains you can be a healthy person and enjoy a soft drink," the association said. "What is important is consuming a variety of foods and beverages in moderation and getting regular physical activity."
The study's authors wrote, however, that U.S. residents are not doing enough to burn calories. Over the past 30 years, on average they are consuming 278 more calories per day, but their activity levels have not changed much.
On the Net:
To read the study, go to www.publichealthadvocacy.org/bubblingover.html.
Bee staff writer Ken Carlson can be reached at kcarlson@modbee.com or 578-2321.
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