Candy & Soda: Is That Your Diet?   --by Brieana Donovan, Bountiful, UT  Dec06

            I feel that the topic I chose is a very important one; it’s about candy and pop in schools.  I think that they should take them out of our schools, here are some reasons why.  There have been some very big health issues regarding soda and candy; they can cause several harmful diseases. More and more soda is wanted in schools; teens are becoming obese, getting tooth decay and more.  I think that teens should have more nutrition because it can help to concentrate in school, better than candy and soda pop.
            My first reason is soda and candy cause big health issues, and can lead to diseases.   Excess sugar in kid’s diets is tied to the rise in type II diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and can also cause kidney stones. If you have type II diabetes, it is a very hard to go through and can be deadly.  Well, for example, one 12-oz. can of soda contains about 9 teaspoons, or ¼ c. of sugar. In just ONE CAN!  There are many teens that drink pop 1-3 times a day, even sometimes every day!  Drinking that much sugar is not very healthy for you!

            Another reason they should be taken out of schools, is because more teens are getting tooth decay from all the sugar. Also they can get osteoporosis (a disease when you have weak bones) from soda with all that sugar in it.  When teens drink soda and eat more candy, all that sugar drains out the calcium from their bones, and cause them to be weak.  Why would you want to possibly risk having to go through those medical problems just to have good (tasting) drinks and candy?  There are a lot more drinks that taste good that are a lot healthier for you!

            My last reason is I think that more teens should try to not have as much candy and soda, and try to eat more nutritious foods.  There is an addictive ingredient in some soda pop called caffeine, and more teens are becoming dependent on it.  Kind of like some adults are addicted to coffee, but kids with pop.  Teens should eat more nutritious foods, than candy and soda pop, because it can help them in school to think and learn.  Too much sugar in your diet can block or slow down your thinking, which is not good for school.                                                                                                                                                        In conclusion, I think that teens should stay away from soda so they can be healthier and won’t have to risk getting diseases and medical problems from food they eat and drink.  I also think that they should get rid of sugar and pop in schools, so teens have healthier choices, and so they won’t get addicted to the drinks.  I think that people should care more about their health and what they eat, and we should make school food choices more nutritious and healthier for teens!

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