Drink machines at public schools don't offer sugary soft drinks | WRBL

COLUMBUS, Ga. --

Since Coca-Cola rolled out a new commercial, accepting some responsibility for the nationwide obesity issue News 3 wanted to find out if schools will be getting rid of their soft drink machines.???

But schools across the nation already offer healthier options to your children. Twelve-point-five million kids are already obese in the United States. Several years ago schools across America were required to get rid of the sugary-soft drinks in the soda machines.

"We want to get their calories through healthy foods, nutritious foods, like fruits and vegetables,? said Karen Davis, a child nutrition specialist with Muscogee County School District. Davis said now only low-calorie drinks like flavored water, juice and sports drinks are sold in schools.

?Kids are more apt to buying it, if it's in the machines they're going to buy it,? Davis said.

The machines can be found in middle and high schools throughout the Chattahoochee Valley. Policies mandate that students cannot make purchases during lunch hours.

"If you think about it, juices have just as much or more sugar in it than some sodas,? said Bernard Williams. His nephew is a senior in high school. Williams said while he commends the choice to eliminate regular soft drinks, he thinks the school district needs to take it a step further and remove all flavored drinks. "If you?re thirsty, drink water. I mean anything else is not going to quench your thirst and hydrate your body."

But Davis said over the years, she's seen more and more students make the choice to buy water. "At the school level we're trying to do our part and making the kids healthy so you know at home, we want them to at home continue those healthy patterns."

The new Coke commercial points out that in 2004, they voluntarily changed their school offerings to only juice, water and low-calorie beverages.

Source: http://www2.wrbl.com/news/2013/jan/15/drink-machines-public-schools-dont-offer-sugary-so-ar-5377261/

whitney houston autopsy dobie gray bruce springsteen grammy nominations lil boosie bobbi kristina brown new edition