Can Soda Consumption Increase Violent Behavior in Children?

It is a known fact that soda isn’t good for children. Such beverages can increase the chances of obesity. According to the latest studies, they can have other, more serious effects as well, such as making children’s behavior more violent.Can Soda Consumption

The Latest Study

The latest study followed the behavior patterns of over 3,000 children from 20 different states of the U.S. These children were followed starting with their birth, but the study regarding soda consumption involved 5 year old kids.

First, the researchers asked the mothers to count the number of servings of soda that they offer their children per day. Then they were asked to answer some questions regarding the behavior of their child.

The Results of the Study

According to the results of the study the children who had more than 5 servings of soda per day were twice as likely to show violent behavior as the children who had less soda. These children often destroyed the belongings of other people, verbally attacked other children, or started fights.

Social Effects

It is interesting to note that the children who consume soda often may have problems with paying attention for longer periods of time and they can become socially withdrawn. In fact, the dosage of soda is in close connection with the results: the more soda children have, the more serious their behavior problems were.

Considerations

In order to make sure that the results are impartial, the researchers also had to take into consideration socio-demographic factors (like candy consumption and sleep schedule) and the parenting styles.

Limitations of the Study

We also have to add that the study has certain limitations. Since the researchers had to rely on the reports of the mothers, they were unable to link the behavior problems to a given soda type or the serving sizes. Some people believe that the results of the study are far-fetched and that there is no science to support the findings of the study.

American Beverage Association

The association claims that even the researchers themselves have stated that the main goal of their study is not to identify the kind of association there is between problem behaviors and soft drinks. Besides this, the members of this association do not promote the consumption of soft drinks by children.

Since we all know that soft drinks are not good for children, the best thing parents can do is to limit the number of servings.