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Problems with Soft Drinks Overweight and obesity. Dental cavities because of high sugar content. Dental enamel erosion because of acidic nature. Reduction of other nourishing foods like milk.
Are They Good for Dehydration? All liquids are, of course.  A child who has been exerting himself on a hot playing field can find a cool soft drink greatly refreshing.  The sugar is a good source of energy as well. Never use a soft drink for the treatment of diarrheal dehydration.  The high sugar content makes these drinks hyperosmolar, and they can actually make diarrhoea worse. Some children refuse all food when sick.  These children can benefit from the drinkable calories provided by soft drinks.

Soft Drinks and Children

Too many soft drinks can make your child a soft target for a variety of ailments -- obesity, tooth decay, headaches, poor sleep, osteoporosis (thinning and weakening of the bones), irritable bowel syndrome, cancer...

Having an occasional soft drink on a hot and exhausting day won't harm anyone, but it has to stay at that -- an occasional indulgence.  Soft drinks quench thirst (which water will do as well), but they should be recognised as liquid sweets.  They have calories in the form of sugar, and no proteins or fats.  Each bottle contains about 125 calories, and children who have several a day are likely to be overweight.

Harmful Content

Most cola drinks contain 30-40 mg of caffeine.  While this is not a dangerous amount for adults, it is significant for children.  Caffeine promotes the passage of large amounts of urine, and can sometimes cause dehydration.  It also has a stimulant action, making it difficult to sleep.  A child who is habituated to it needs it regularly -- a break can lead to headaches and other effects.

Other dangerous substances are the food colors used in different drinks.  Some of them are suspected of being carcinogenic.  Sulphites, used as preservatives, can be a trigger for asthma.  Fructose used in soft drinks can trigger off the irritable bowel syndrome, which is a troublesome, painful intestinal condition.

Soft Drinks, Soft Bones?

Soft drinks contain large amounts of phosphates, which cause calcium to be removed from bones.  Osteoporosis is a theoretical risk, though not proven yet.

A disturbing fact is that soft drink consumption reduces the intake of healthier beverages like milk and juices.  This is especially important for adolescent girls, who usually do not take the recommended  calcium  intake.  This can reduce the bone mass achieved during this critical period, and may lead to osteoporosis and its complications later on.

Tooth Decay

This is a major drawback of soft drinks.  Their high sugar content encourages plaque formation, which is bad for tooth enamel.  Cola drinks have been shown to erode tooth enamel.  The acids that most soft drinks contain can also damage teeth.

Tooth decay is related to the duration of sugar being in contact with the teeth.  A soft drink being slowly sipped can maintain a sugary environment in the mouth for an hour or more, and is worse than a bar of chocolate quickly eaten.

Last revision: July 15, 2007

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