A study by researchers at the University of Otago found that sugary sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade offer few health benefits while putting kids at risk for diabetes, tooth decay and childhood obesity.
Staying hydrated is key to preforming your best during a game, but researchers feared that too many children are reaching for overly sweetened beverages loaded with sugar during sports matches. In an effort to determine the role sports drinks play in childhood health risks, researchers documented the consumption habits of 82 children between the ages of 10 and 12 during sports games. Researchers noted that nearly two-thirds of children consumed sport and energy drinks, while the rest opted for water or milk.
Lead researcher Moira Smith, MD, said parents and children may be oblivious to how much sugar is packed into common sports drinks.
“There are 11 teaspoons of sugar in some of these sports drinks,” said Smith.
Parents and Advertisers
Smith hypothesized that the problem of overconsumption of sugary beverages is two-fold. First, she noted that children see many of their favorite athletes in commercials for products like Gatorade and Powerade. She said that athlete consumption gives the false impression that these drinks are healthy for you, even though they aren’t.
The second issue is that parents are oblivious to just how much sugar is in one bottle of Gatorade. While the occasional sports drink won’t cause your child’s teeth to fall out on the spot, Smith urged parents to avoid purchasing it for every game, and to consider opting for the 12oz variety as opposed to the larger 20oz and 32oz bottles.
She concluded by calling for change from the FDA. She hopes sugar content on sports drinks will become more transparent in the not-so-distant future.
“[Put] warning labels on these drinks, to say that their consumptions increases the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and tooth decay,” said Smith.
Dr. Silverman comments
I understand the appeal of Gatorade and Powerade. Kids want to emulate their favorite stars, and the bright blue, green and pink colored drinks are more visually stimulating than plain old water. But parents need to understand that water is the much healthier option. Sure, your child may get a short boost in energy from the sugar rush, but most 10-year-olds don’t need that boost to have fun on the soccer field. They are already bursting with energy as it is.
Sugar packed drinks like Gatorade and soda are helping contribute to America’s growing waistline, and it’s up to parents to reverse the trend. After all, they are the one’s stocking the pantry with cases of Gatorade. Swap out that Arctic Blast for an Aquafina and your child’s health will be better off for it.