On April 10, 2011, nearly 100 students hauled bags of empty soda cans and poured them into a giant bar graph portraying the rising rates of American obesity in the past 30 years. During the past few decades, obesity in America has skyrocketed from about 15% in 1980, to a whopping 34% today.*
The consumption of soft drinks in America has skyrocketed as well. From 1980 to today, the rate of soft drink consumption has doubled. We consume 200-300 calories more of sugar-sweetened beverages, per day, than we did 30 years ago.** This includes soda, fruit drinks, sport drinks, sweetened teas and more. An average American currently consume 50 gallons of sugary beverages a year. That’s 41 pounds of sugar, and 72,000 calories. It’s a bit ridiculous.
Soda promises sweet happiness, but in reality, it may bring the bitter opposite. Research demonstrates that risk of obesity skyrockets 60% for each additional sugary drink consumed a day. Obesity brings about diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Don’t believe the liquid lies. Skip the soda. We have created a variety of different social media graphics and video to help spread this message.
