Perhaps you can help me with something I want to discover. Did you know that water makes up about 50 to 60 percent of a person's body weight? To keep a healthy balance of water in the body, you have to drink fluids. Feeling thirsty is your body's way of saying, "Hey! Drink something!"

In the past, most young people drank water, milk, and juice to quench their thirst. Today, many people are choosing to drink soda pop instead. People who study health are interested in this switch to soda for several reasons. First, most sodas contain sugar. Sugar can cause cavities and may make people gain weight. Also, soda does not have many of the important nutrients found in milk and fruit juice. For example, milk contains calcium, a nutrient needed for healthy bones and teeth. If people are drinking soda instead of milk and fruit juice, they may not be getting enough of some nutrients needed for good health.

The Challenge
I'm trying to figure out why people your age may reach for a soda pop instead of water or another beverage when they are thirsty. Help me by filling out the data sheet below. You may need your parents' or friends' help to answer a couple of the questions. Your answers will help me figure out whether family, friends, or other things influence what you drink. With this information, maybe we can figure out how to help people make healthier choices for drinks. Thanks for your help! Please complete this Investigator's Survey.

Age -- 
City -- 
My State/County is -- 
 
I am a boy
I am a girl

1.) How often do you usually drink soda?
Every day
5-6 times a week
3-4 times a week
1-2 times a week
Less than once a week or never

2.) When you have a soda, what type do you usually drink?
Regular
Diet

3.) Do one or both of your parents or other adults you live with drink soda on a regular basis (three or more times per week)?
Yes
No

4.) Which of the following best describes you (check one)?
Most of my friends drink soda on a regular basis (three or more times per week).
Some of my friends drink soda on a regular basis (three or more times per week).
None of my friends drink soda on a regular basis (three or more times per week).

5.) Is there a vending machine containing soda in your school?
Yes
No

If you answered "yes," can children buy soda from this machine?
Yes
No

6.) Is soda usually in your refrigerator or cupboards at home?
Yes
No

7.) How much do you like the taste of sodas?
Strongly like
Like
Dislike
Strongly dislike

8.) How much do you like the taste of milk?
Strongly like
Like
Dislike
Strongly dislike

9.) How much do you like the taste of water?
Strongly like
Like
Dislike
Strongly dislike

The next two questions will give me a rough idea of how many soda ads you might see on TV.

10.) How many hours of television do you watch on the average weekday?
Zero hours a day
One to two hours a day
Three to four hours a day
More than four hours a day

11.) How many hours of television do you watch on the average weekend (total Saturday and Sunday)?
Zero hours a day
One to two hours a day
Three to four hours a day
More than four hours a day

To Send Us Your Data
To Reset the Form
 

Thanks!

Lisa Harnack as an adult and as a child. Dr. Lisa Harnack investigates health and nutrition at the University of Minnesota. When Lisa was young she spent her summers learning how to grow and harvest vegetables and care for cows, chickens, and horses on her family's Minnesota farm.

This article originally appeared in the March/April 1999 issue of Dragonfly Magazine. Watch Lisa on DragonflyTV this spring!

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