What are the reasons that chocolate milk should be banned from schools what evidence supports it?

Answer 1

Obesity

Today's kids face an epidemic of disastrous proportions in the form of obesity. Most kids aren't gorging themselves on two or three large meals but instead are falling prey to the hidden sugars in daily treats such as chocolate milk. There are 150 calories in an 8-ounce container of chocolate milk and only 122 in a carton of 2 percent milk. It doesn't seem like a big difference, but it adds up to 140 extra calories each week, which increases the likelihood of childhood obesity for chocolate milk drinkers.

Tooth Decay

While milk has long been considered a good choice for healthy teeth, chocolate milk is definitely not. Most children don't brush their teeth after drinking a glass of chocolate milk. When the milk remains on your child's teeth the sugars in it cause cavities and tooth decay.

Attention Problems

The sugar in chocolate milk acts as a stimulant in some children, leading to an increase in energy and activity that is often characterized by fidgeting or the inability to sit still. Once this energy is used up, a sugar crash makes the child feel sleepy. This makes paying attention particularly difficult, especially if the child has ADHD.

Cholesterol Levels

The sugars in chocolate milk affect older kids and adults negatively, too, especially when it's consumed on a daily basis. Studies show that teens get approximately 20 percent of their diet from sugary foods, and those teens who consume a lot of sugary foods, including chocolate milk, have lower levels of good HDL cholesterol and higher levels of bad LDL cholesterol. Of course, chocolate milk isn't solely responsible, but over time the sugars in the drink do contribute to poor health in these kids. The key to dealing with the sugar in chocolate milk is to consume it moderately. Alternate white milk with chocolate, mix half of each together or save the chocolate milk for special treats; all of these are easy ways to reduce the effects of sugar in chocolate milk.