Rethink Your Drink campaign for making healthy choices
I
n light of the popularity of
unhealthy sugar-sweetened beverages
in the U.S., health organizations tell us:
“Rethink your drink!” Americans have
a huge appetite for sugar-sweetened
beverages (SSBs),
including soft
drinks, sports
drinks, coffee,
energy drinks,
juice, teas,
punch, flavored
milk, or any
drink with
added caloric
sweeteners, and
An easy way to
our waistlines,
improve your health
wallets and
is to drink more
landfills can
water.
prove it.
Trends and statistics
Half of Americans drink SSBs daily,
and the average American drinks 39 to
50 gallons of SSBs a year. This equates
to 14 to 17 ounces a day, or 9 to 12
pounds of sugar a year. Compared
to other drinks, soft drinks create
the greatest revenue.
Impacts of SSB consumption
Drink choices have a big impact
on personal health, finances and
the environment.
• Overconsumption of SSBs is
associated with unhealthy weight.
SSBs have accounted for at least
20 percent of Americans’ weight
gain in the past 30 years. They
are also linked to higher risks of
developing type 2 diabetes, high
blood pressure, gout, and certain
cancers. Sugars and acids in drinks,
even diet drinks, often lead to
costly dental problems.
When SSBs replace nutrient-rich
milk and foods, additional problems
may occur, such as poor bone
health.
• SSBs can drain a household budget.
A family of four that buys $5 twelve
packs and drinks eight SSBs a day
could save $608 if they all cut back
to one drink a day. Buying just one
$3 coffee a day costs $1,095 a year.
Switching to tap water in a refillable
water bottle could move that cash
back into your pocket.
• A household of four can generate
1,460 pieces of garbage a year if
each member discards just one
SSB bottle a day. Americans toss
35 billion plastic bottles annually.
These often end up in landfills or
along roadsides, especially in rural
areas that lack recycling services.
Aluminum cans and plastic bottles
can take 200 to 500 years or up to
1,000 years respectively to degrade
in a landfill. Choosing a reusable
water bottle instead can make a
huge difference in reducing waste
and landfill use.
2. Make note of day-to-day habits
and monitor your progress.
Children like to track their
choices on a refrigerator chart.
3. Drink water and milk with meals.
4. Keep a dispenser of water or readyto-go reusable water bottles handy.
5. Make plain water tasty with slices
of fruits, cucumber, mint, etc.
6. Dilute juice with sparkling water.
7. When you do opt for a sweet drink,
go for the smallest size.
8. Read labels. Every four grams
of sugar equals one teaspoon.
Make every sip count. Improve your
health, budget, and the environment
by choosing water and low-fat milk
instead of sugar-sweetened beverages.
Making choices
For additional information contact
your local W VU Extension office
or go to fh.ext.wvu.edu/food/recipes/
beverage-recipes/fruit-infused-water
orcdph.ca.gov/programs/wicworks/
Pages/WICRethinkYourDrink.aspx
Be a role model. Encourage your
children, family and friends to try
these simple tips:
1. Talk with your family about SSBs
and their negative health, financial
and environmental impacts.
By Elaine Bowen, WVU Extension
Specialist – Health Promotion; Emily
Cobun, W VU Graduate Research
Assistant; Lauren Prinzo, WVU Marion
County Families and Health Extension
Agent
Identification and control of invasive knotweeds
– continued from page i –
Stem injections are appropriate if
the stand is smaller than an acre and
relatively sparse (less than 2,500 canes/
acre). A stem injector may be used to
apply 3 to 4 ml of the concentrated
glyphosate to the base of as many canes
as possible, slightly above the soil level.
need for repeat applications. After
knotweed is controlled, the exposed
areas may be reseeded with a desirable
seed mixture. If imazapyr was used,
collect soil samples and test for seed
germination to ensure the absence
of herbicide residues.
Monitor and reseed
By Rakesh Chandran, W VU Extension
Specialist –Weed Science
Monitor the treated area during the
following season to determine the
Insert Provided by WVU Extension Service and Davis College of Ag., Natural Resources, and Design
Spring 2015 / iii
West Virginia Farm Bureau News 15