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Speaking Point: Sugary drinks now represent the biggest source of added sugar in children’s diets according to the American Journal of Preventative Medicine. In addition to sodas these drinks include: fruit flavored drinks, sports drinks, bottled teas, vitamin waters, vitamin-fortified juice drinks and energy drinks.

Speaking Point: The American Heart Association recommends children consume no more than 3 teaspoons of added sugars which is far exceeded in many drinks.  A 20 oz Classic Coke contains over 16 teaspoons of sugar, a 23 oz Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng and Honey contains over 17 teaspoons of sugar and a 16 oz Snapple Grape Berry Punch contains 27 teaspoons of sugar.

Speaking Point: Over 10% of children 2-5 years are overweight and 17% of lower-income children under 5 are overweight.  Children are consuming nearly twice as many calories from sugary drinks today than they did 30 years ago. This consumption is strongly correlated with weight gain which can last into adulthood (obese children are more likely to become obese adults).

Speaking Point: A child’s risk of obesity increases by 60 percent for each sugary drink they consume per day according to a study reported in Lancet. Obese children are more likely to have high cholesterol, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes - all of which increase their risk for cardiovascular disease. They are also more likely to suffer from sleep apnea, joint problems, fatty liver and gallstones.

Speaking Point: Sugary drink intake at age 5 is associated with higher body fat, larger waist circumference, and heavier weight from ages 5 to 15 (from a 2009 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition).  The prevalence of tooth decay in baby teeth continues to increase.

Speaking Point: A study found that 44 percent of toddlers 1 ½ to 2 years old consume a sugary drink on any given day and that 70 percent of children 2-5 years old consume a sugary drink once a day (as reported in Pediatrics).

Speaking Point: The benefits of reducing sugary drink consumption in childhood are significant. They include lowering BMI, reducing the risk of obesity and improving dietary intake — all of which reduce the risk of diabetes and other health effects of overweight and obesity.

Speaking Point: Soda companies spend $500 million a year, including fees to highly trained psychologists and marketing experts, to promote their products to children. They market their products on websites popular with children and send text messages directly to children’s phones. Energy drinks are consumed regularly by approximately one-third of teens and young adults. They are the fastest growing U.S. beverage market with sales of over $9 billion in 2011. Some energy drinks can contain four to five times as much caffeine as one can of soda.

Speaking Point: Learned habits start early and are difficult to undo as children grow. Habits that contribute to excess weight gain, such as consuming sugary drinks, can set a child up for a potential lifelong struggle with excess body weight and the health problems that can come with it.

Speaking Point: Hypnosis has the ability to change perceptions, behaviors, emotions and attitudes. Children respond well to hypnosis as documented in numerous studies and clinical experiences.  A technique developed by researchers at Stanford University showed that specific food aversion hypnosis suggestions (i.e." For your body, Coca Cola is a poison") outperformed general hypnosis suggestions (i.e. "You will not drink beverages that are bad for you") by 2 ½ times and nutrition information alone by 5 times.