Healthcare consumers drastically reduce their soda intake

Why healthcare brands should support the beverage revolution

Good news — consumers are making healthier choices. Well, at least when it comes to their beverage selection. A report conducted by the New York Times, said that sales of full-calorie soda in the United States has declined by more than 25 percent over the last 20 years.

Considering the rise of soda consumption from the 1960s to the 1990s, this is a tremendous transformation and it looks like there is no end in sight. Politicians have taken matters into their own hands and are making bold strides to block soda corporations from dominating the beverage platform.

You may be familiar with Soda Tax. A few years back, a New York State judge turned down a piece of legislation Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed that would have banned large-sized sugary beverages. Recently, Philadelphia, PA, Mayor Michael A. Nutter attempted to instate a similar tax, but failed.

Today, Berkeley, CA, is the only city nationwide to actively pursue a tax on soda.

Even with a lack of government control, the New York Times report said the drop in soda consumption is the most significant change in the American diet in the last decade.

Why? Well, all this fuss over full-calorie beverages is actually resonating with consumers. If government officials are trying to pass a law against it, most likely it’s important. Educated consumers are thinking twice about what they are pouring into their glasses, and soon, that attitude may trickle down to other populations.

Philadelphia appears to be spearheading the movement. According to the report, soda is banned from all its school districts. Additionally, the city offers incentives to convenient stores that promote healthier alternatives. This is largely part of Nutter’s push to reduce his constituents’ soda intake.

The pushback on the beverage industry is reminiscent of the fight against the tobacco industry and big beverage companies are feeling the effect. The report said that instead of soda, consumers are turning to bottled water as their drink of choice. Coco-Cola, PepsiCo and Dr Pepper Snapple Group are all experiencing a decline in sales.

For a good reason.

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, a typical 20-ounce soda is rendered with more than 17 teaspoons of sugar and is upwards of 240 calories. The report said the consumption of these sugary drinks is a cause of the obesity epidemic.

This epidemic is certainly something healthcare organizations are looking to end. Our advice is to join the conversation, if you haven’t already.This issue is gaining a lot of momentum and consumers should be hearing from their local doctors about the facts. The better educated they are, the less likely they are to make bad choices. Spread the word by using infographics to break out important statistics, Tweet about sugar coated drinks and their effect on weight gain and use Facebook to share stories about consumers who dropped soda from their diet for good.

Click here to read the New York Times article.