SACRAMENTO, Calif.—The sale of sports drinks may soon end in schools in California, as legislation banning such products makes its way through the state legislature. Rosie Mestel, writing for the LA Times’ Booster Shots blog, reported sugar-sweetened sports drinks have been allowed to be sold in California public schools, while soft drinks are banned. However, SB1255, introduced by Sen. Alex Padilla and sponsored by Gov. Schwarzenegger, would ban the sale of sugar-sweetened sports drinks during school hours. The bill has passed the Senate and the Assembly’s education committee; it next goes to the Assembly health committee.
A statement from Padilla’s office said: “According to the California Department of Public Health, electrolyte replacement beverages are overwhelmingly replacing sodas as the beverage of choice for school-age children. … Eight of the top 10 beverages sold a la carte in California public high schools are electrolyte replacement beverages.”
Mestel noted sports beverages tend to half less than half the calories of similarly sized soft drinks; however, the sodium levels in sports drinks are significantly higher.
