NSDA to California Obesity Conference Attendees: Balanced Diet, Daily Physical Activity Are Keys to Healthy Lifestyle

1/6/2003

From: Sean McBride of the National Soft Drink Association, 202-463-6772; http://www.nsda.org

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 -- The National Soft Drink Association (NSDA) today agreed with attendees of this week's California Childhood Obesity Conference who advocate a balanced diet and daily physical activity as the blue print for reversing rising obesity rates.

"Obesity is a very complex problem with no easy solution," said Lisa Mosing, MS, RD, a nutrition consultant from Fullerton, Calif., who has testified on the subject of obesity before the California legislature. "As a health care professional who counsels overweight and obese patients, I know that the most important things children and adults can do to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle are to eat a balanced diet and get at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day."

Only 32 percent of California students in grades 9-12 receive daily physical education at school. In addition, the California Department of Education does not require students to be tested on their knowledge of nutrition. Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports, the average school student receives just five hours of nutrition education per academic school year.

In addition to improved health, recent research conducted by the California Department of Education concluded that increased physical activity also leads to improved academic performance. The study of nearly one million fifth, seventh and ninth grade students showed that test scores improved with increased levels of physical activity.

"Second only to parents, schools play a vital role in helping children learn how to make important decisions," said Mosing. "It's important to promote a healthy lifestyle for children at home and at school, with an emphasis on a wide variety of beverage choices, a balanced diet and daily physical activity. Banning or restricting soft drinks in schools will not solve the obesity problem. That is why the American Dietetic Associations says that all foods -- including soft drinks -- can fit in a balanced diet."

Schools can help combat obesity by improving the quality and quantity of nutrition education and implementing daily physical education. By doing those things, schools will build life-long skills children need to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Recent research shows that teen caloric intake has remained steady over the past 40 years. At the same time, studies continue to show that sedentary activities, such as television viewing, are closely associated with obesity.

"We must construct a comprehensive approach to dealing with the obesity problem that helps provide consumers with the knowledge they need to eat right and exercise regularly. That is how we are going to turn things around. Singling out one food or beverage as the key to good health will not solve the obesity problem. It merely distracts individuals from taking meaningful steps toward a healthier lifestyle," concluded Mosing.

Soft drink companies, through their business partnerships with schools, offer students, faculty and guests a wide range of beverages from which to choose, including bottled water, juice, sports drinks, ready-to-drink teas and regular and diet carbonated soft drinks. In fact, the average secondary school student consumes less than 1.5 twelve ounce cans of regular carbonated soft drinks per week from vending machines at school.

Working together, America's soft drink companies and their education partners help provide a well rounded education for millions of students. Each year schools earn tens of millions of dollars from partnerships with beverage companies that they use to fund important academic programs and student activities. Schools use the funds generated from business-school partnerships to pay for computers, physical education and athletic equipment, arts and theater programs and after school activities.

------ The National Soft Drink Association (http://www.nsda.org) is the trade association representing the broad spectrum of companies that manufacture and distribute non-alcoholic beverages in the United States.