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44-62 mg of phosphoric acid, which can interfere with bone Back in 1998, Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of CSPI, absorption of calcium and cause the leaching of calcium from warned: "Many teens are drowning in soda pop. It's become their bones to help neutralise the acid.'* main beverage, providing many with 15% to 20% of all their Tucker, the study's corresponding author, explains this well: calories and squeezing out more-nutritious foods and beverages "Physiologically, a diet low in calcium and high in phosphorus from their diets."” may promote bone loss, tipping the balance of bone remodeling Sadly, most of this consumption is taking place in schools. toward calcium loss from the bone. Although some studies have = Marion Nestle's book Food Politics points out that while soft countered that the amount of phosphoric acid in cola is negligible drinks have replaced milk in the diets of many American children compared to other dietary sources such as chicken or cheese, as well as adults, school purchases reflect such trends. From 1985 further controlled studies should be conducted to determine to 1997, school districts decreased the amounts of milk they whether habitual cola drinkers may be adversely affecting their bought by nearly 30 per cent and increased their purchases of bone health by regularly consuming doses of phosphoric acid that carbonated sodas.” do not contain calcium or another neutralizing ingredient.""* Dr Mone Zaidi, director of the Mount Sinai Bone Program at _‘ Targeting and taking advantage of schoolchildren Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York The reason for schools buying such excessive City, notes that the Framingham findings also quantities of soft drinks is rooted in another pose a problem for younger women who stand factor. Since school budgets often fall short in never to develop peak bone density. In his being able to support all school activities, words: "Younger women who have a lot of especially recreational, extracurricular and coke will not form bone to an extent their sporting, schools sign contracts with soft drink peers would; so, years later, in menopause, giants. For instance, in 1993, District 11 in they are going to be disadvantaged.""” From 1985 to 1997, Colorado Springs became the first public In 1998, Dr Bess Dawson-Hughes, a bone school districts school district in the USA to place ads for disease expert at the Jean Mayer USDA Burger King in its hallways and on the sides of Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at decreased the its school buses. A few years later, the school Tufts University in Boston, forewarned: "I'm amounts of milk district signed a 10-year deal with Coca-Cola, particularly concerned about teenage girls. bringing in US$11 million during the life of the Most girls have inadequate calcium intakes, they bought by contract.“ These contracts specify annual sales which makes them candidates for osteoporosis when they're older and may increase their risk for broken bones today. High soda consumption is a concern because it may displace milk from the diet in this vulnerable population."'* Dr Dawson-Hughes's concerns were not unfounded. The "Liquid Candy" report published in 1998 by the non-profit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSP), also the publisher of the Nutrition Action Healthletter, stated that teenage quotas, with the result that school administrators encourage students to drink sodas even in their classrooms. As such contracts are increasingly coming into the limelight, school administrations are being slammed for selling out to cola companies. Marianne Manilov, executive director of the Center for Commercialism-Free Public Education, based in Oakland, California, castigated schools for "...sacrificing their students' health by selling out to Coca- Cola. The marketing agreements virtually boys and girls drink twice as much soda ensure that more kids will be drinking pop as milk, whereas 20 years previously more soda—while their health classes are they drank nearly twice as much milk as soda.” discouraging consumption. Taxpayers must provide school A University of North Carolina study also highlights that from systems with adequate funds so that schools don't become reliant 1965 to 1996, adolescent milk consumption dropped 36 per cent on junk-food companies."* nearly 30 per cent and increased their purchases of carbonated sodas. while adolescent soft drink consumption more than doubled.” Cola companies are not only targeting schools. Coca-Cola is said to have paid the Boys & Girls Clubs of America $60 million Empty calories, reduced appetites to make its company's products the only brands sold in more than It's not as though teens or even adults are to blame for failing to 2,000 clubs. The contract outlays may seem hefty, but, in spite of eat well at mealtime. Soft drink conglomerates and even some this, cola companies are currently having the last laugh. When a medical studies are always quick to shift the onus for lower bone company like Coca-Cola, for example, sets its growth rate at a mass to soft drink consumers, by proclaiming that soft drinks are — minimum of 25 per cent per annum, it needs to identify potential not to blame if people do not eat well. However, they consumer sectors to tap into. Since the adult market is relatively conveniently overlook the fact that the empty calories ingested stagnant, children become the target. According to an article in from carbonated beverages throughout the day often serve to Beverage (January 1999): "Influencing elementary school reduce appetites, leading to poor eating at mealtime. students is very important to soft drink marketers."” This problem is exacerbated in the case of teens, and as Greg A few campaigners are trying to spread awareness of their Critser explains in Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest | concerns. San Francisco's school district banned exclusive People in the World: "A joint study by Harvard University and contracts for soda and junk food in 1999, but few areas have Boston Children's Hospital researchers in February 2001 followed their example. Former California State Assembly concluded that such excess liquid calories inhibited the ability of | member Kerry Mazzoni has even tried to push through a bill older children to compensate at mealtime, leading to caloric banning exclusive beverage contracts—which she calls "selling "ai imbalance and, in time, obesity. your children to the highest bidder"—in schools throughout the Back in 1998, Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of CSPI, warned: "Many teens are drowning in soda pop. It's become their main beverage, providing many with 15% to 20% of all their calories and squeezing out more-nutritious foods and beverages from their diets."” Sadly, most of this consumption is taking place in schools. Marion Nestle's book Food Politics points out that while soft drinks have replaced milk in the diets of many American children as well as adults, school purchases reflect such trends. From 1985 to 1997, school districts decreased the amounts of milk they bought by nearly 30 per cent and increased their purchases of carbonated sodas.” decreased the they bought by nearly 30 per cent _and increased — their purchases of carbonated sodas. Empty calories, reduced appetites It's not as though teens or even adults are to blame for failing to eat well at mealtime. Soft drink conglomerates and even some medical studies are always quick to shift the onus for lower bone mass to soft drink consumers, by proclaiming that soft drinks are not to blame if people do not eat well. However, they conveniently overlook the fact that the empty calories ingested from carbonated beverages throughout the day often serve to reduce appetites, leading to poor eating at mealtime. This problem is exacerbated in the case of teens, and as Greg Critser explains in Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World: "A joint study by Harvard University and Boston Children's Hospital researchers in February 2001 concluded that such excess liquid calories inhibited the ability of older children to compensate at mealtime, leading to caloric imbalance and, in time, obesity." NEXUS +29 From 1985 to 1997, school districts amounts of milk FEBRUARY — MARCH 2007 www.nexusmagazine.com