It’s common knowledge that soft drinks lead to dental cavities, and to obesity. They also weaken kids’ bones!

Soft drinks replace milk in the diet, and the phosphoric acid in all sodas leaches calcium from the bones. A recent study of 591 boys and 744 girls in the U.K. aged 12 or 15 years found a direct link between bone mineral density and soft drink intake–more sodas meant lower bone density. But only for non-cola carbonated sodas and diet drinks!

Another Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine study of teenage girls found the same problem with carbonated sodas and bone fractures…and drew many, many comments.

What most don’t know is that U.S. kids are drinking more soda, not less–twice as much over the past 20 years, and now adds 188 kcal/day to the energy intake of kids who drink them.

Taking steps to make nutrient-rich, calorie-lean drinks and snacks more available to kids is the least we can do. The time for change in school and at home is now!