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Soft drinks are carbonated, nonalcoholic beverages that contain dissolved carbon dioxide (carbonation), sweeteners, flavoring agents, edible acids, and food colorings just like candy. Phosphoric acid is added to acidify the soft drinks. Other acids used in soft drinks include acetic acid, fumaric acid, lactic acid and gluconic acid. Although soft drinks are composed largely of water, however, they also contain large amounts of sugar, which when consumed in excess, causes tooth decay and leads to an unhealthy increase in weight. Health Health concerns of Soft Drink Consumption

Increased soft drink consumption means increased consumption of sugar, phosphorus, artificial food colors and artificial sweeteners.

Increased Sugar intake: The high and increasing consumption of sugars sweetened drinks by children in many countries is of serious concern. It has been estimated that each additional can or a glass of sugar sweetened drink that they consume everyday increases the risk of becoming obese by 60%. This is due to the very high sugar content of these drinks – most soft drinks contain 9 teaspoons of sugar in each 330-ml can. Overall, the evidence implicating a high intake of sugars sweetened drinks in promoting weight gain was considered moderately strong.

Loss of Essential Nutrients: It is recognized that higher intakes of free sugars threaten the nutrient quality of diets by providing significant energy without specific nutrients. Studies have also shown that children who consume a lot of calorie laden soft drinks eat less at their regular meals, causing them to miss out on essential nutrients, micronutrients and further diminishing their nutritional status.

Calcium and Phosphorus Imbalance: Increased soft drink consumption can lead to rise in calcium deficiency among young people. Studies also suggest that many teenagers consume twice as much cola and other fizzy drinks as milk- 21% of 7-10 year olds drink on an average 10 cans a week. This substitution of soft drinks for milk is one of the factors contributing to the poor intake of calcium among teenagers in the UK. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, children from birth to age 11 and teenage boys consume only half the amount of calcium they need daily. Teenage girls are meeting only 14% to 20% of their daily calcium requirements. A critical age where youngsters actually need to pack in maximum calcium to build a bone bank for later years.

Phosphate in soft drinks increases the overall phosphate consumption. This can be detrimental because a high phosphate intake is linked to an active thyroid gland and bone loss (osteoporosis).

Obesity and Soft Drinks: In Europe, overweight and obesity in children, and excessive consumption of soft drinks is believed to be a major contributory factor to this problem. The UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey revealed that the consumption of fizzy drinks in the UK has doubled in the past 15 years. Young adults now drink an average of six cans a week. Soft drink consumption in the United States has also doubled since 1974. In 2001, it was reported that for every additional serving of soft drink consumed each day, the risk of becoming obese increased by 60%.

Tooth Decay: Drinking large amounts of diet soda (8 to 10 cans a day) is a cause of tooth erosion. Sugars are undoubtedly the most important dietary factors in the development of dental caries. In addition to sugar, cola drinks contain phosphoric and citric acids. Both are harmful to enamel. The non-cola drinks contain flavor additives, malic acid, and other organic acids, which are more aggressive at eroding teeth than what's found in cola drinks.

Other effects: Some studies even suggest that chemicals present in soft drinks can alter the ph balance in the body and caffeine present in them can make them addictive.

Healthier Food Options: Substitute with healthier drinks like unsweetened fruit juices, chaach/Lassi, nimboo paani, skimmed/ low fat milk or bottled water, sugar free sodas and even sattus.

Parents: Access and exposure to a range of fruits and vegetables and healthy drinks in the home is important for the development of preferences of these foods and that parental knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to healthy diet are important in creating role models.

Schools: School is where children spend most of their time, therefore it is advisable for the schools to come forward and join the campaign of offering healthier beverages and taking the high calorie drinks off the shelves. It has been recently reported that US public schools will stop serving sodas, and sell only water, juice and low fat milk in schools after an agreement between beverage distributors and anti- obesity advocates. The argument that these efforts may be futile since sweetened drinks will still be available after school. The efforts can very well be the first step towards helping young people become health conscious.

Better Advertising: Since television commercials are targeted to children, endorsements for healthier foods from superstars who are role models have a tremendous effect, as appealed by our Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss.