This is a good thing, really. But, I do worry that some drinks have gotten a bad rap due to our quest for health.
Last year, the Associated Press reported
that the vending machine industry is now stepping up to pull non diet
sodas from their machines in public and private schools over the next 3
years. These measures plus State measures in place in 22 States will
dramatically cut calories for many of our kids. So, as I started out
saying, all good.
But, even better for me was the news in the
same report that sports drinks will still be available in high school.
Diet drinks will be there, too, but it is the sports drinks I want to
see available. Surprising? Not at all when you consider the facts.
I'll
touch on the soda issue very briefly because what I really want to talk
about is sports drinks. The bottom line on soda for me is I can't
really think of a good reason why young kids need to have soda. So,
don't give it to them. For tweens, limit soda to once in a while and
special occasions but steer them to the diet varieties to limit
calories. They are going to be having soda when on their own with their
friends so better to help them develop a taste for the diet version
than the regular. And, we all know teens drink soda so diet is all that
should be available and it is appropriate for them to have more choices
even at school as they are almost adults.
As for sports drinks,
I have no problem with them being banned for regular use - this is
appropriate. Sports drinks were not designed to be utilized as a
regular use drink and replace water and milk for our kids. Plus, like
soda, sports drinks are empty calories when used as as regular drink.
However, if used as designed, as a rehydration solution, sports drinks do have a significant role for our young athletes, and one that is supported by science.
Our young athletes work hard - they sweat and their bodies utilize a
great deal of energy when they exercise and play team sports in school.
This is true regardless of the outside temperature but even more true
if the season is warm. When our kids' bodies work like this, and
especially when the temps outside are warm, our kids sweat a great deal
loosing sugars and salts as well as water. So, just drinking water
along as is the practice now on many sideline won't cut it. Kids do
need sports drinks to maintain their balance when all is said and done.
So,
I worry that a flat of ban of sports drinks as "bad" is hurting our
young athletes and I've seen many a middle school and high school
athlete in my office very dehydrated after a game because all that was
available on the sidelines was water. I encourage serious young
athletes to preload with a sports drink and postload with one as well
if all that is available during a game or practice is water to avoid
becoming dehydrated and that seems to work well. In fact, I tell
parents of all kids participating in youth sports to keep sports drinks
at home and I review signs of dehydration to keep an eye on. While the
goal is to avoid dehydration, better to treat as soon as you recognize
than to miss altogether. If you are not sure what the signs of
dehydration are in young athletes, click here.
This
is really a long winded way of saying that not all drinks are bad if
used at the right ages - and at the right times. And, perhaps it's time
us parents acted as better role models at home and just stopped
allowing our kids to drink certain drinks. Just a thought.
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(Post republished from Dr. Gwenn Is In)
