Date of Award

Spring 2018

Document Type

Honors Thesis

Department/Major

Biology

First Advisor

Carmen Stewart

Second Advisor

Dr. Kathleen Eyster

Third Advisor

Dr. Scott Breuninger

Keywords

Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSBs), Obesity, Health Issues, Regulations, Taxation

Abstract

This literature review analyzes the many health implications of high sugarsweetened beverage (SSB) consumption. Some of these health implications include (but are not limited to) obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and higher blood pressure. SSB consumption has increased 500% in the past fifty years and is the largest source of calorie intake among children. Obesity rates have increased to epidemic proportions in the United States and many countries around the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) more than 1 billion adults throughout the world are overweight, with a body mass index (BMI) of over 25. In the United States, an estimated 129.6 million people (64% of the population between the ages of 20-75) are overweight, and out of those 129.6 million 30% of people can be considered obese. Several methods have been proposed to lower the intake of SSB, thus improving public health. These methods include: mass media campaigns, regulations, taxation, SSB bans, and replacing SSBs with other beverages.

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