The campaign, Rethink Your Drink, aims to get families to cut down on sugary drinks. Organizers say too many sweet drinks like soda and flavored milk can pack on the pounds.
The Earlimart School District has already banned drinks with high sugar content from its schools. Campaign organizers are hoping other school districts will follow suit but they are facing an upward battle. According to UCLA's California Health Interview Survey, in Kings, Kern and Fresno Counties more than half of 2-11 year-olds drink at least one soda a day. The California Department of Public Health's recommended amount of sugar for kids in the same age group is 7 teaspoons a day but an average bottle of soda contains 17 teaspoons. Health experts say that extra sugar can lead to other health issues including diabetes.
