Sips That Spike

Diabetes is a serious disease that is becoming more common in children and teenagers. One form, known as pediatric metabolic disease, is closely connected to the way the body handles sugar and insulin. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 1 in 5 adolescents in the U.S. now show signs of prediabetes, a condition that can lead to type 2 diabetes if left untreated. Many experts are concerned because this condition is rising quickly, especially in kids who eat unhealthy diets and drink a lot of sugary beverages. 

One of the main causes of insulin resistance in children is the overconsumption of sugary drinks. According to Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, one 12-ounce can of soda contains about 39 grams of added sugar, which is almost 10 teaspoons-far more than the 25 grams (6 teaspoons) recommended per day for kids by the American Heart Association. Sugary drinks don’t just include soda. They also include: Fruit-flavored drinks, sweet teas/lemonades, sports drinks, energy drinks, and even flavored milk. Unlike food, these drinks don’t make us feel full. So, it is easy to drink hundreds of empty calories in one sitting without realizing it. These drinks cause blood sugar to spike quickly, forcing the pancreas to pump out an increased amount of insulin. Over time, this leads to insulin resistance, which can cause type 2 diabetes. Studies show that drinking just one sugary drink a day can increase a child’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 26%. And kids in the U.S. are drinking these more than ever- on average, children and teens consume over 30 gallons of sugary drinks every year.