ALTON - Alton Memorial Hospital parish nurses are among the champions for “Rethink Your Drink,” an initiative of the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity (IAPO).
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Eileen Cheatham, an AMH parish nurse, has taken a “Rethink Your Drink” display to several area health fairs. And while it’s a message that is often targeted for children, adults can also learn how drinking the right beverages can lead to better health.
“Sugar-sweetened beverages are the No. 1 source of added sugar in the American diet,” Cheatham said. “One study shows that the odds a child will become obese increase by 60 percent with each additional 12-ounce serving of soda per day.”
Conversely, water is calorie-free, hydrating and something on which every system of the body depends.
With sugary beverages making up 46 percent of added sugars in the American diet, IAPO partners encourage residents to drink beverages with less than 5 (1.25 teaspoons) grams of sugar per 12 fluid ounces and to cut back on drinks that have 12 (3 teaspoons) grams or more of sugar per 12 fluid ounces.
A guide to your best beverages:
Drink Plenty
Water
Seltzer water
Skim or 1% milk
Drink Occasionally
Diet soda
Low-calorie, low-sugar drinks
100% juice
Drink Rarely, If At All
Regular sodas
Energy or sports drinks
Sweetened coffee/tea drinks
Fruit drinks
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