Sodabriety: Teens at risk for obesity switch from sugared drinks to water with peer intervention

Kids growing up in Appalachia are the nation’s largest consumers of sugary drinks. With deaths in Appalachia related to obesity, cancer, diabetes and heart disease on the rise, local teens are working with researchers to lead a successful program helping peers quit sugary drinks for good. Dubbed "Sodabriety," the 30-day project asked groups of teens from two southern Ohio high schools to develop and then lead educational campaigns designed to convince their peers to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages like soda and tea, and to drink more unsweetened beverages. By the end of the program, not only did some teens completely give up sugared drinks, but water consumption nearly doubled.

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