Keep Unhealthy Diet Sodas Out Of Colorado's Schools
Diet sodas are laden with artificial chemicals and sweeteners and are so highly acidic they can even erode teeth. These drinks have absolutely no place in Colorado's schools.
Colorado has been a national leader in promoting healthy standards for school nutrition, including healthy beverages. But now, the Board of Education is considering modifying our state's healthy beverage policy and removing the current prohibition on diet sodas in high schools.
We all know that nutrition plays an important role in a child's health and academic performance. But these beverages are not healthy and have no nutritional value.
Consuming diet soda can contribute to weight gain, impaired glucose control, and even diabetes. Also students with low nutrient intake were more likely to be absent, experience behavioral trouble in school, and get poorer grades compared to their nutritionally adequate peers.
Tooth decay is the single most common childhood chronic disease – five times more common than asthma. Students with toothaches were almost 4 times more likely to have a low-grade point average.
Our kids deserve better. We must speak out now to demand the Board of Education maintain Colorado's high nutrition standards and protect our children.
Sign the petition today and tell the Board of Education to keep diet sodas out of our high schools.
To the Members of the State Board of Education,
We, the undersigned, urge you to vote no on the proposed changes to Colorado's current healthy beverage policy that would align it with the USDA's federal Smart Snacks requirements. Colorado has long prided itself on being a leader in health and fitness and an alignment of the current policy with the USDA's regulations is a step back for Colorado's students. The state's current healthy beverage policy exceeds the minimum federal requirements and, according to the Office of School Nutrition,there is 100% compliance with the existing policy. In addition to being a step back, the proposed changes are unnecessary. Aligning our state's rules with Smart Snacks will allow diet soda back into high schools. These kinds of drinks do not belong in a healthy beverage policy. They provide no nutritional value and the high levels of acid contained in these drinks are damaging to kid's teeth. Tooth decay is the leading chronic disease of childhood and often causes pain and days of missed school. Colorado's kids deserve better. Please vote no on the proposed alignment with Smart Snacks.
