By Amanda Zou

As a high school student dealing with pre-diabetes, I have seen the devastating effect of sugary drinks on health. My family history is a stark reminder of the dangers of excessive sugar consumption. My uncle, who regularly drank sugary drinks, developed type 2 diabetes (T2DM); my grandfather died of kidney complications due to T2DM; and my father constantly struggles to maintain a healthy and consistent diet with the high prevalence of unhealthy food marketing. I have to consistently maintain a healthy lifestyle and exercise to manage my pre-diabetes. What’s worse is that my experience is by no means unique; over a billion people worldwide suffer from similar health problems.

Given my personal experiences, I strongly advocate removing sugary drinks from children’s menus. According to the American Heart Associationthe recommended daily sugar intake for children and teenagers is six teaspoons. And yet, just a regular can of Sprite has 9.5 teaspoons of sugarwhich is 150% of the recommended amount for young children. It is for this reason that sugary drinks should not be served on children’s menus. Giving kids such easy access to sugary drinks can be dangerous to their long-term health, resulting in problems like obesity, diabetes, liver problems and many more.

Early intervention and healthy choices for youth are among the most effective ways to lower the rate of these health problems. As a society we must decide to promote these choices. The easiest way to do this is to remove sugary drinks from children’s menus and replace them with healthier options, such as unsweetened milk or dairy alternatives, sparkling water and decaffeinated tea. Several high-profile companies have implemented this policy with good results. For example, Disney and McDonald’s have both implemented policies where healthier drinks such as water and milk are standard options in children’s meals. After changing the standard drinks on the menus to healthy drinks, the companies have seen a significant increase in sales of healthy drinks among Disney guests and McDonald’s customers, especially to young people. Families at Disney parks chose healthy standard beverages 66% of the time.

The vigilance and maturity required to manage obesity, diabetes and liver problems is something no parent wants for their child. Children should enjoy their childhood without worrying about the complications that arise from high sugar drinks. Significant health benefits will result from removing sugary drinks from children’s menus and no significant disadvantages. It is the most effective and decisive step towards protecting the health of young people and future generations.

Amanda Zou is a high school student living in Broomfield.