Sports Drinks Believed by Teens to Be Healthy, Study Finds - Sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade are believed by active US teenagers to be healthy, according to a study.
For many years, sports drinks marketing featured the likes of Peyton Manning, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Adrian Peterson, suggesting that a part of these athletes' remarkable athletic performance was due to drinking specific brands of electrolyte and sugar-heavy drinks.
Sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade are believed by active US teenagers to be healthy, however, studies show that sports drinks aren't really that much better for one's health than soda. (Photos.com)
A Pediatrics study found that the marketing has worked among certain teenagers, who may think that drinking such beverages is healthy, according to Health.com.
Teens who are more active in sports and eat healthily are more likely to consume sports beverages than teens who are not active. The study found that kids who are sedentary and watch TV or play video games are more likely to drink soda.
The active teens also consumed more vegetables, milk, and fruit than teens who were not active, which researchers say also suggests that teens view sports drinks as being good for one's health.
The researchers say that sports drinks aren't really that much better for one's health than soda.
"It seems to me that people who want to pursue a healthy lifestyle are somehow being misled to believe that these drinks are somehow good for them," Dr. Nalini Ranjit, the assistant professor at the University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston and the lead author of the study, told Health.com.
More than 15,000 teenagers were analyzed and researchers found that most consumed sugary drinks, including soda, sports drinks, or other beverages with added sugar. Sixty percent of boys said they consume a sugary drink once per day and 50 percent of girls said they did the same.
Sports drinks are comparable to soda in the amount of sugar they have, albeit they tend to be more diluted. A 20-ounce bottle of Gatorade as 35 grams of sugar, while a 12-ounce can of Coca Cola has around 39 grams.
"The last thing American children need is more sugar," Dr. Kelly Brownell of Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, told Health.com.
Sugary beverages have been associated with weight gain and obesity, he added, though sports drinks can be appropriate for very active student athletes and teenagers.
Brownell said that many teens aren't exercising hard enough to warrant the need for these drinks and their electrolyte content.
"People who are engaging in any kind of athletic activity have been led to believe they need these drinks," he said. ( theepochtimes.com )
For many years, sports drinks marketing featured the likes of Peyton Manning, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Adrian Peterson, suggesting that a part of these athletes' remarkable athletic performance was due to drinking specific brands of electrolyte and sugar-heavy drinks.
Sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade are believed by active US teenagers to be healthy, however, studies show that sports drinks aren't really that much better for one's health than soda. (Photos.com)
A Pediatrics study found that the marketing has worked among certain teenagers, who may think that drinking such beverages is healthy, according to Health.com.
Teens who are more active in sports and eat healthily are more likely to consume sports beverages than teens who are not active. The study found that kids who are sedentary and watch TV or play video games are more likely to drink soda.
The active teens also consumed more vegetables, milk, and fruit than teens who were not active, which researchers say also suggests that teens view sports drinks as being good for one's health.
The researchers say that sports drinks aren't really that much better for one's health than soda.
"It seems to me that people who want to pursue a healthy lifestyle are somehow being misled to believe that these drinks are somehow good for them," Dr. Nalini Ranjit, the assistant professor at the University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston and the lead author of the study, told Health.com.
More than 15,000 teenagers were analyzed and researchers found that most consumed sugary drinks, including soda, sports drinks, or other beverages with added sugar. Sixty percent of boys said they consume a sugary drink once per day and 50 percent of girls said they did the same.
Sports drinks are comparable to soda in the amount of sugar they have, albeit they tend to be more diluted. A 20-ounce bottle of Gatorade as 35 grams of sugar, while a 12-ounce can of Coca Cola has around 39 grams.
"The last thing American children need is more sugar," Dr. Kelly Brownell of Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, told Health.com.
Sugary beverages have been associated with weight gain and obesity, he added, though sports drinks can be appropriate for very active student athletes and teenagers.
Brownell said that many teens aren't exercising hard enough to warrant the need for these drinks and their electrolyte content.
"People who are engaging in any kind of athletic activity have been led to believe they need these drinks," he said. ( theepochtimes.com )
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