Stephen Torgrimson claims he doesn’t have a soda drinking problem.
The sophomore biology major has at least one soda with every meal and usually one or two throughout the rest of the day. For Torgrimson, juice and milk can’t beat the real thing – for him, it’s always a Coke.
However, his girlfriend, sophomore biology major Cassie Erdeky, said Torgrimson has a serious soda addiction. She remembers a time when they went grocery shopping together and there was a huge sale on soda.
“He bought 10 12-packs of Coke, and they were gone within the month,” she said.
Maybe it’s time for Torgrimson to drop the soda and pick up a glass of milk.
According to studies released this week in several science journals, researchers argue that soda isn’t just related to obesity – it is the leading cause of the disease.
Nutrition experts have debated the effects of soda in the past, with some saying soda is another factor in weight gain.
Researchers from the recent studies want to present their findings to make a case for higher taxes on soda and restrictions to control where and how it is sold.
One suggestion includes placing a surgeon general’s warning on soda labels, similar to the warnings found on cigarettes.
Nutritionists at this university said they have not seen the study but believe obesity is caused by an imbalance in diet and lack of physical activity.
“There are no magic calories in soda that make it more harmful than any other drinks,” said Maureen Storey, director of the University’s Center for Food, Nutrition, and Agriculture Policy, a joint research center of with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Storey, who holds a Ph.D. in nutrition, has done research on the link between childhood obesity and access to soda machines in school but did not find any significant correlation.
The biggest problem with soda and soft drinks are the “empty calories,” or calories without nutritional value, said University Health Center Dietitian Jane Jakubczak.
“Sodas often replace other drinks, such as milk and fruit juices, which provide nutrients and vitamins,” she said.
Consuming soda is a problem for many college-aged students, primarily because many said they use it to stay awake to study.
“When students come in to see me about losing weight, the first thing I ask them is how much soda they are drinking,” Jakubczak said. “Some students are consuming more than 1,000 calories from soda on a daily basis.”
Junior chemical engineering major Lucy Legkodimova said she knows soda is unhealthy but still has at least a glass of soda a day. She said she needs the caffeine and would rather drink soda than coffee. She also drinks soda because other healthier drinks, such as milk, do not match with her diet.
“Soda is a junk food and I drink it whenever I eat other junk foods,” she added. “I would never eat pizza and drink milk. It just doesn’t make sense or taste right.”
Some students have already seen the impact of soda on their weight. Sophomore business major Irina Komarova gained 13 pounds last year and decided to cut all sugary drinks from her diet. She noticed a significant difference and now only drinks water.
“I never liked diet sodas, so drinking water works best for me. It leaves me feeling refreshed and clean,” she said, comparing it to the jittery feeling she gets from caffeinated drinks.
But nutritionists say students do not have to completely cut soda out of their diet to avoid weight gain.
“Soda can be a source of extra calories, but so can juice. The difference is that fruit juices offer nutrients,” Storey said. “This doesn’t mean that you can never have a can of pop. Just be mindful of the calories.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact reporter Salome Equizabal at newdesk@dbk.umd.edu.
