Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
NOWnews – May 14, 2013
Reporter Chen Kunkai / Taipei Report
Hot weather leads to gulping down sodas and colas? Beware of kids turning violent! The John Tung Foundation today (14th) cited research from the University of Vermont and the Harvard School of Public Health, indicating that drinking more than five cans of soda per week increases the likelihood of violent behavior in children, with effects comparable to alcohol and tobacco. A Norwegian study also showed that teenagers who love sugary sodas exhibit higher rates of mental distress—such as panic, anxiety, sadness, and insomnia—as well as hyperactivity tendencies and more conduct issues.
This morning, the John Tung Foundation released the latest survey of 1,500 elementary school students from grades 3 to 5 in Taiwan. Although all the children could recite "drink plain water when thirsty," only 45% actually practiced it.
The survey revealed that, disliking the bland taste of plain water, up to 20% of elementary students chose sweet-and-sour sports drinks as their first choice when thirsty, followed by milk tea and black tea at 10%, with the rest opting for sugary beverages like juice and carbonated drinks.
Hsu Hui-yu, director of the Food Nutrition Division at the John Tung Foundation, pointed out that aside from contributing to weight gain, cavities, and stunted growth, sugary drinks were linked to behavioral issues. A 2011 study by the University of Vermont and Harvard School of Public Health surveyed 1,878 students aged 14 to 18 and found that teenagers who drank more than five cans of soda per week had a 9% to 15% higher likelihood of violent behavior, with an impact similar to alcohol and tobacco.
Similarly, a Norwegian study conducted between 2000 and 2001 surveyed 5,498 teenagers aged 15 to 16 and found that those who drank more than 800cc of sugary soda daily were 1.8 times more likely to experience mental distress symptoms—such as panic, anxiety, sadness, and insomnia—compared to those who drank only 200 to 1,200cc per week. The likelihood of conduct problems was 2.8 times higher for boys and 4.1 times higher for girls, while boys were also twice as likely to show hyperactivity tendencies.
The John Tung Foundation urges parents and teachers to encourage children to drink more plain water, avoid keeping sugary beverages at home, refrain from offering them to children, and not use drinks as rewards. Helping children develop the habit of drinking water is economical, simple, and beneficial for their physical and mental health.Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E7……A% B4% E5% 8A% 9B- 061420584. html;_ylt=AqEu9_Bm.wGmoHjxpwbRuGLfBdF_;_ylu=X3oDMTRkcmpyNjlvBG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBIZWFsdGhTRiBNRDEEcGtnAzEyNTk0ZDQzLTZhMmUtM2FhOS04YTE0LTNhNTUzNjE3MWZkNwRwb3MDMwRzZWMDTWVkaWFCTGlzdE1peGVkTFBDQVRlbXAEdmVyA2JiOGU1YjAwLWJjNWYtMTFlMi04NWEzLTAwNmU0Y2E3NzljZg--;_ylg=X3oDMTI2OHM2ZmNkBGludGwDdHcEbGFuZwN6aC1oYW50LXR3BHBzdGFpZAMEcHN0Y2F0A.WBpeW6twRwdANzZWN0aW9ucwR0ZXN0A3Rlc3RfaWI-;_ylv=3
Soda as Bad as Alcohol: US Study Links 5 Cans A Week to Violent Kids
Reporter Chen Kunkai / Taipei Report
Hot weather leads to gulping down sodas and colas? Beware of kids turning violent! The John Tung Foundation today (14th) cited research from the University of Vermont and the Harvard School of Public Health, indicating that drinking more than five cans of soda per week increases the likelihood of violent behavior in children, with effects comparable to alcohol and tobacco. A Norwegian study also showed that teenagers who love sugary sodas exhibit higher rates of mental distress—such as panic, anxiety, sadness, and insomnia—as well as hyperactivity tendencies and more conduct issues.
This morning, the John Tung Foundation released the latest survey of 1,500 elementary school students from grades 3 to 5 in Taiwan. Although all the children could recite "drink plain water when thirsty," only 45% actually practiced it.
The survey revealed that, disliking the bland taste of plain water, up to 20% of elementary students chose sweet-and-sour sports drinks as their first choice when thirsty, followed by milk tea and black tea at 10%, with the rest opting for sugary beverages like juice and carbonated drinks.
Hsu Hui-yu, director of the Food Nutrition Division at the John Tung Foundation, pointed out that aside from contributing to weight gain, cavities, and stunted growth, sugary drinks were linked to behavioral issues. A 2011 study by the University of Vermont and Harvard School of Public Health surveyed 1,878 students aged 14 to 18 and found that teenagers who drank more than five cans of soda per week had a 9% to 15% higher likelihood of violent behavior, with an impact similar to alcohol and tobacco.
Similarly, a Norwegian study conducted between 2000 and 2001 surveyed 5,498 teenagers aged 15 to 16 and found that those who drank more than 800cc of sugary soda daily were 1.8 times more likely to experience mental distress symptoms—such as panic, anxiety, sadness, and insomnia—compared to those who drank only 200 to 1,200cc per week. The likelihood of conduct problems was 2.8 times higher for boys and 4.1 times higher for girls, while boys were also twice as likely to show hyperactivity tendencies.
The John Tung Foundation urges parents and teachers to encourage children to drink more plain water, avoid keeping sugary beverages at home, refrain from offering them to children, and not use drinks as rewards. Helping children develop the habit of drinking water is economical, simple, and beneficial for their physical and mental health.Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E7……A% B4% E5% 8A% 9B- 061420584. html;_ylt=AqEu9_Bm.wGmoHjxpwbRuGLfBdF_;_ylu=X3oDMTRkcmpyNjlvBG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBIZWFsdGhTRiBNRDEEcGtnAzEyNTk0ZDQzLTZhMmUtM2FhOS04YTE0LTNhNTUzNjE3MWZkNwRwb3MDMwRzZWMDTWVkaWFCTGlzdE1peGVkTFBDQVRlbXAEdmVyA2JiOGU1YjAwLWJjNWYtMTFlMi04NWEzLTAwNmU0Y2E3NzljZg--;_ylg=X3oDMTI2OHM2ZmNkBGludGwDdHcEbGFuZwN6aC1oYW50LXR3BHBzdGFpZAMEcHN0Y2F0A.WBpeW6twRwdANzZWN0aW9ucwR0ZXN0A3Rlc3RfaWI-;_ylv=3