great article, Erin. I am not one who lets my children consume much caffeine. Usually they are lucky to get a glass of soda about once a week, and they usually don't even think about it. My children grew up without pop, so now, they really don't even like it. Great job. I always enjoy reading your articles

Just this week I had my 13 year old cut out much of the sugar he is eating throughout the day. He does not have any weight issues, and is extremely active, but has had symptoms that lead me to believe that maybe he is drinking too much pop, and sugary carbs....And I don't even let him drink much, but at 13, it can be hard to manage when you are not with them all the time. This week is the test and it's been hard to give up things he likes, but he's doing great and seems to be feeling better! Once you make that lifestyle change, it's really not hard to stick to it...I've done it :)

Not big on kids and pop, but I think there are bigger nutritional issues for me to worry about when it comes to my kids. I don't buy into the sugar hyperactivity myth since the research generally doesn't back that up, no matter how many people believe it. Sadly, with so many kids tethered to video games and their parents' iPhones, we probably do need a public service announcement to get kids off the couch.

@Kathy, he sometimes says he feels "odd" a while after eating, especially if we've been out and he's had pop, or sometimes he'll get "jittery", and I can tell it's after he's had sugary things that cause his blood sugar to spike, then crash. I"ve noticed that he needs to eat more frequently, and maybe limit the carbs that spike his blood sugar? I am actually having these things checked out with his doctor just in case, but changing parts of his diet couldn't hurt. He is in great shape-5'3 and about 95 -98 lbs, and is active all day, but a dietary change couldn't hurt....

Kathy, I know how hard it is! My parent's took him to lunch yesterday and I told my mom that he wasn't to have any pop this week. I recommended water or unsweetened ice tea....She let him have chocolate milk because I only said he couldn't have pop! LOL. Grandma just can't help herself! I should have said nothing sugary...:)

Many Times, it's not the sugar, it's the dyes.

I agree about the dyes! In general, I buy only foods that are mostly all natural and organic when I can. no colors, no preservatives, etc. I do make exceptions, of course. I get what I can at Meijer, (they offer a lot of great options) and some things I get at Whole Foods. The colors, dyes, preservatives and nitrates certainly affect one's health in the short and long term. I think it's great that people are aware and concerned about what we put into our kids bodies and ours too!

My 11 year old son gets one 12oz can of diet pop for each 12oz glass of skim milk he drinks. Works great. He doesn't have any weight issues, is healthy, and is already 5'5". Usually, it's 2 cans per day, but sometimes it's 3, which I'm fine with. Also, no cavities with his last check up.

BWood, that is great to know about the chocolate milk. Thank you for sharing, as I would never have guessed! I'm going to look into that. He loves chocolate milk, and if can feel more comfortable about it I'll be a nice option!

Y'know, Mio can be added to water for a little taste yet basically it's all still water. Just a drop or three in a glass works fine.

Agreed! I stopped buying soda years ago mainly because my oldest daughter saw it fit to finish it as fast as she could. I personally gave up soda many years ago but on occasion I enjoy a nice glass with things. I purchased a Soda Stream. Perfect solution. The kids were told that if they were caught attempting to use it then garage sale it will go. Also I use half of the syrup mix for a full bottle and they have no idea. Look our for Gatorade and other sports drinks. Tons of sugar. And energy drinks? Nobody should drink them. Bad stuff.

My husband gave up pop when he started the P90X exercise and diet program (going on 3 years now) he stuck with the diet part for less then 2 weeks. BUT the fact that he cut out pop almost 3 years ago and still NOT a drop!
(this coming from a man who drank 6-8 cans of Coke a day)
I gave it up with him. I've gone back since. BUT I will go weeks with out. It's more of a treat for me. I do prefer water, or tea over it.
My 6 year old daughter, and 4 year old son have NEVER (to my knowledge) had pop. I don't mind now that they are older to try it, or have some. But it's never on the grocery list, and I like it that way.
We do love our coffee, black. So caffeine wasn't cut out for us. But it's much better then the pop was.
Good article, and reminder!

We don't keep it in the house, but the kids are free to have Sprite when we eat out (once a week). It's just an offered choice; I would say one of my kids picks it more often than the others, but the other two are just as likely to order milk or water.

Water is the best drink. Juice drinks have sugar and our pediatrician says if children ask for juice give them 100 percent juice with water added to it.

Not sugar in pop it is High Fructose Corn Syrup not sugar.Sugar is a natural substance found in natural fruit. HFCS contains Mercury.It was found in independent studies by companies that were sued by the HFCS industry...Any one ever see the news that Government want to regulate sugar? For health reasons? This was done right after the HFCS was found to have Mercury in ti..This report that was put out about how bad sugar is for you was introduced by the HFCS industry.There was no report that HFCS is bad for you now was there.Did you hear of it? ...Not at all. If you get rid of sugar all you have is HFCS....Read your labels...it is not sugar your kids are drinking.

High Fructose CornSyrup is NOT sugar. Report to ban sugar or regulate it was brought forth by the High Fructose Corn Syrup industry....All Hight Fructose Corn Syrup Products contain Mercury....Poison......There is no sugar in pop unless it comes from Mexico you can read the labels pop from the U.S. is all HFCS pop made in mexico says on the label natural sugar.

Loretta, the key word in your post is "limit". As a diabetic, I know there's no way I can escape sugars. There is sugar in practically everything, even in things you'd never guess. Maybe the best thing to do is be aware...read the labels and try to limit the intake of sugar to minimal amounts. As far as fruits go, with their natural sugars, there are many benefits to eating fruits as there are detriments. Bananas ARE a good source of potassium even though they contain natural sugars as well. You instincts are your best defense and moderation and exercise is a good idea. HFCS is awful tough to avoid but I've found that MY sugar counts do not go as high after I drink something with HFCS (like diet pop) as they do if I drink regular soft drinks. My key to remember is moderation.

Here is what obamas administration said about it.Yep a law was passed then there came the amendments to it...like every law we have.
http://www.dailypaul.com/221302/obama-agency-rules-pepsis-use-of-aborted-fetal-cells-in-soft-drinks-constitutes-ordinary-business-operations

Back in 2011, Children of God for Life (CGL), a non-profit group,  exposed Pepsi’s dealings with Senomyx. This triggered  a global outcry. Pepsi had many alternative options to produce these flavor chemicals without using fetal cells, and which competitors have adopted. But it, instead, decided to use these aborted fetal cells or “isolated human taste receptors”
Months later shareholders of Pepsi filed a resolution asking the company to change its policies and adopt more ethical procedures. But the Obama Administration, via the SEC, shot down the resolution by saying Pepsi’s use of such aborted baby or fetal cells was “business as usual.”

Wow. John R. is so much smarter that Snopes (ya know, just a website) that he spelled it snoops. That must be his site where he can correct all of us. You're a bloviating, lonely, SCOTUS impersonator that leans on Ron Paul sites for "facts". I don't know which chronic whiner you really are as the name you use simply popped up here, but unless you have anything factual with 2 or 3 sources I'm petitioning that we block your wandering half-truths.