Rethink Your Drink

Rethink Your Drink, Go H2O High School Poster Contest!

And the winner is... Amber Elliot of Central Valley High School.
Congratulations Amber! Thank you for your unique and creative design to promote drinking water instead of sugary beverages and encourage people to go outsie and be active this summer!

Winners of the Rethink Your Drink, Go H2O High School Poster Contest were announced at the Whole Earth and Watershed Festival on April 27th. Students were encouraged to promote drinking water instead of sugary drinks. Sarah Davis and Hunter Esget, both from West Valley High School, took second and third place, respectively. The top three finalists received gift certificates to Sports Authority and free memberships to the YMCA. See press release for more information.

Open the pdf file below if you'd like to see the poster Amber created.
Poster Contest Winner

To view all 40 posters, please visit: www.facebook.com/rethinkyourdrinkshasta

Questions: Call Jenny at (530) 229-8451

Why Rethink Your Drink?

Sugary drinks (see box at right) contain extra calories that provide little nutrition and can lead to unwanted weight gain. Being overweight and/or obese increases the risk of many chronic diseases, including:

high blood pressure
heart disease
cancer
stroke
type 2 diabetes

Drinking a lot of sugary drinks can also lead to tooth decay - even diet drinks contain acid that can cause cavities. In addition, drinks with added sugar often replace healthy choices like low-fat milk which is a good source of calcium and vitamin D. This can lead to the development of osteoporosis, a decrease in bone density.

How much sugar are you drinking?

Watch these videos to find out.

Is sugar hiding in your drink?

High-calorie sweeteners go by many different names and are not always obvious in the ingredients list. If one or more of the following appear in the ingredients list of your favorite beverage, you are drinking a sugary drink:

Corn syrup
Dextrose
Fructose
Fruit juice concentrates
High-fructose corn syrup
Honey
Sucrose
Sugar
Syrup

How much sugar is in your drink?

Did you know?

Overweight/obese adults in Shasta County are more likely to report drinking 8 or more 12 oz servings of soda per week than adults at a healthy weight.
A child's risk for obesity increases an average of 60 percent with every additional daily serving of soda.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, half of the population age 2 and older consumes sugary drinks - meaning soda, sweetened bottled water, sports and energy drinks and fruit drinks (but not 100-percent juice) - everyday.
A 150 pound person would need to jog for 40 minutes to burn off the 250 calories in one 20 oz soda. A 110 pound person would need to jog for 50 minutes.
63% of U.S. high school students drink soda, sports drinks, energy drinks or other sugar sweetened beverages daily.
American teens drink almost twice as much soda and sweetened beverages as milk.
The average American consumes 50 gallons of soda and other sweetened beverages each year.
Beverage compainies spend more than $608 million every year to sell their products. Ads for sugary drinks are on TV, at the movies, on billboards, at sporting events, in video games, and even on the internet.

Statistics from the Center for Science in the Public Interest 2005; California Center for Public Health Advocacy Bulletin 2009; CDC 2010 Beverage Consumption; Berkeley Media Studies Group, 2009; American Journal of Public Health, 2011; and Professional Research Consultants, Inc. 2011.

What can you do?

Make smart drink choices...try the following tips:

When thirsty, think water first.
Drink water when eating out – it’s free!
Drink 100% juice in limited amounts or mix juice with seltzer water.
Make flavor infused water by adding lemons, limes, berries, cucumbers, mint leaves or other natural flavors for a refreshing treat.
Choose unsweetened coffee or tea and lightly flavor it yourself.
Cut portion sizes of sugar-sweetened drinks by choosing a “small” instead of a “large”.

Resources

Choose Health LA - for more healthy drink tips
Harvard School of Public Health - Healthy Beverage Guidelines
Let's Do This King County - tips on cutting back on sugary drinks
California Center for Public Health Advocacy - Bubbling Over article on soda consumption and its link to obesity in California
Sugar Stacks - visual pictures of amounts of sugar in different food and drinks
CDC Rethink Your Drink page - calorie content information and tips for cutting back on sugary drinks
Sierra Cascade Region Rethink Your Drink page - more helpful materials and resources
California Project Lean Rethink Your Drink page - even more helpful tips and resources

Take the Pledge to Rethink Your Drink!

Taking a pledge can be a motivational tool for incorporating healthier habits into your day. It can be especially helpful if you are involved with a group of people who take the pledge together. Tracking your water intake is another useful way to help you stay on track with drinking healthier beveratges.

Download the free materials below and encourage a group of friends or coworkers to take the pledge to "Rethink Your Drink"!

Rethink Your Drink Pledge

Tracking Sheet - Use this tracking sheet to help you stay on track.

Mt. Shasta Water Coupon - Print this coupon for 2 free bottles of spring water when you subscribe for service.

Healthy Shasta