A new study was conducted to find out the link between violent behavior and soda consumption in teens. The study was based on answers to questionnaires filled out by 1,878 public-school students aged 14 to 18 in the inner Boston area.
According to researchers, teens who drink lots of soda or fizzy drinks seem to be prone to violence. These teens who drank more than five cans of non-diet soda per day were significantly more likely report behaving aggressively towards others.
Among the questions were how much carbonated non-diet soft drink, measured in 12-ounce (355-millilitre) cans, the teens had drunk in the previous seven days.
They were also asked whether they drank alcohol or smoked, carried a weapon or showed violence towards peers, family members and partner.
In side of “dose response”, David Hemenway, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, added that it appears to be a dose-relationship that the more soda was consumed, the likelier the tendency towards violence.
Among those who drank one or no cans of soft drink a week, 23 percent carried a gun or a knife; 15 percent perpetrated violence towards a partner; and 35 percent had been violent towards peers.
At the other end of the scale, among those who drank 14 cans a week, 43 percent carried a gun or a knife; 27 percent had been violent towards a partner; and more than 58 percent had been violent towards peers.
However, whether the violent behavior at teens is related to excessive soda diet or not isn’t definitively clear. It could be cause-and-effect, since diet can influence behavior, and soda has a host of potentially culpable ingredients — including high fructose corn syrup, aspartame, sodium benzoate, phosphoric or citric acid, and caffeine.
Last but not least, that drinking lots of sugary drinks is linked with poor mental health and diminished social abilities. By the way, this is right time to warn about the harmful impacts of soda on health apart from causing aggressive behavior in teens.
Firstly, soda can influence on enamel: Sugar and acid in soft drinks , soda will damage the enamel slowly and influence on dental erosion.
Secondly, causing asthma: Sodium benzoate (E211-NaC6H5CO2) are used as preservatives in foods can cause asthma, eczema eczema … Statistics show that every day there are 11 Americans died from asthma while in Vietnam, up to 5% of the population suffers from asthma.
Next impact is related to cardiovascular: soft drinks and soda contain lots of fructose sugar which is one of the causes of cardiovascular disease.
Kidney stones: The beverage range of Colas (Coca Cola, Pepsi Cola …) contain Phosphoric Acid that is directly related to kidney stones and kidney related problems. Statistics also said that you are prone to kidney stones if you are male, Caucasian (white) or overweight.
BPA: 99% of soft drink plastic bottles contain BPA. BPA has impacts on the development of children, sex and causes heart disease, even cancer.
Increase sugar in the body: After 20 minutes drinking soft drinks, blood sugar can increase. The increasing amount of insulin immediately drive liver convert sugar into fat whether you’re excessive fat or not.
Osteoporosis: Phosphoric Acid found in the body will affect the bone. Our body does not need too much phosphoric acid so that as releasing, Phosphoric Acid will take the Calcium out too
In addition, gas and soda beverages also cause obesity, increase risk of breast cancer, diabetes …
So consider when using soft drinks / soda if you do not want to suffer from all the diseases listed above.