How Far Would You Walk for a 20-Ounce Soda?
How Far Would You Walk for a 20-Ounce Soda? A new study suggests printing information about the exercise required to burn off the calories in a soda reduces soda consumption among teens.
How many miles does it take to walk off a 20-ounce bottle of soda? The answer is about 5, and that might make people less likely to drink soda. The study, led by Sara Bleich of Johns Hopkins University, placed signs in front of 6 grocery stores in low-income, predominantly black, neighborhoods in Baltimore. The brightly colored, 8.5 by 11 -inch signs carried one of core messages:
- Did you know that a bottle of soda or fruit juice has about 250 calories?
- Did you know that a bottle of soda or fruit juice has about 16 teaspoons of sugar?
- Did you know that working off a bottle of soda or fruit juice takes about 50 minutes of running?
- Did you know that working off a bottle of soda or fruit juice takes about 5 miles of walking?
The study found the last sign to be most effective at lowering the number of calories teens purchased in sugary drinks. The results came in just months after, First Lady Michelle Obama and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed changes to labeling in February [2014].
The proposed changes include presenting the total calories in an item that’s usually consumed in one sitting, like a soda. In other words, these items will be treated as single servings. It’s an often overlooked clause and the Affordable Act require restaurants with more than 20 locations to display the calorie content of each food and drink item they serve.
But as Bleich told NPR, the Johns Hopkins study shows that just printing calorie information might not be the most effective way to inform consumers. Bleich noted that black adolescents are among the groups at the highest risk for obesity. Posting the signs used in the study is a low-cost way to combat that.
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