The start of a new year brings a new milk campaign. Called Think About Your Drink, the campaign’s goal is to raise awareness of the role beverage choices could play in the rising obesity.
A new comprehensive analysis of U.S. beverage consumption called What America Drinks suggests that making healthier beverage choices could play a key role in the battle against Americans’ widening waistlines. While people trying to lose weight may tend to focus on what’s filling their plates, the new study suggests that it’s time for Americans to take a closer look at what’s in our glasses, cups, cans and car drink holders, too.
This in-depth analysis of what we’ve been drinking revealed that beverages supplied nearly a quarter (22%) of our total calories — with nutrient-poor, sugar-sweetened beverages, such as soft drinks, fruit-flavored drinks, and presweetened teas, as the largest contributor. The report found that teenagers and adults drank two to three times the amount of sweetened beverages as they did milk, which some researchers have identified as a trend associated with an increased risk of obesity. Some studies suggest that teenagers and adults who drink more milk and less nutrient-poor, sugar-sweetened beverages are more likely to maintain a healthier weight.
The campaign messages are supported by the American Dietetic Association, American Academy of Pediatrics and the School Nutrition Association, organizations each participating in the unveiling of the new campaign today in Washington, DC.