Crouse Hospital is onboard with "Rethink Your Drink," a national public health campaign started by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to encourage wellness through better beverage selections.
Sara Kohlbrenner, wellness and population health coordinator, talks about the efforts at Crouse to help people make better beverage selections.
The average American eats about 175 pounds of sugar a year, or roughly half a pound a day. The single biggest source of that sugar comes from sugary drinks. Extra calories from sugar leads to weight gain that can put people at risk for lifelong health problems such as diabetes and heart disease.
Some of the many health risks associated with heavy soft drink consumption include:
• Lower Intake of Vitamins, Minerals, Fiber
• Weight Gain
• Tooth Decay and Dental Erosion
• Kidney Stones
• Increased Risk of Heart Disease
• ADHD
Coolers in the hospital’s Clock Tower Café and at Lindsey’s Café in the hospital’s main lobby sport signage that visually assists diners in selecting beverages that are, based on calories, better choices. In order to encourage healthier beverage choices and discourage options that contribute to chronic disease, beverages are designated as green, yellow or red. Green beverages are those under 50 calories; yellow between 50 and 150 calories; and red marks drinks with 150 calories or more. In order to prevent these health risks, replace soft drinks with water, seltzer, fruit juice, and low-fat/fat‑free milk.
Follow these guidelines to make simple steps towards a healthy lifestyle:
Rethink Your Drink Today
Take the "Rethink Your Drink" pledge
Track Your Drink Selections
Resources to Help You Rethink
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
American Heart Association
NPR: Got Heartburn? Maybe You Should Rethink Your Drink
Rethink Your Drink is being supported by the Clock Tower Café and PepsiCo in partnership with Crouse’s employee wellness initiative, “Simply Well.”