Drinking Soda All Day Could Make Your Kid Violent According To New Study

shutterstock_33446842__1376647741_74.134.205.46A new study from the Journal of Pediatrics says that soda may contribute to behaviors such as violence, aggression and moodiness when given to children as young as five. The study, conducted by a team from Columbia University in New York, asked moms of five year old how often their kids had soda. Almost half of the 3,000 boys and girls had at least one soft drink a day. One in 25 had four or more, the Journal of Pediatrics reports. From The Daily Mail:

A study found that boys and girls who had four soft drinks a day were more than twice as likely to get into fights, destroy others’ possessions and physically attack people, compared with those who drank other beverages.

The children studied were part of a larger project involving ”˜fragile families’ families deemed to be at greater risk of break-up and poverty than normal.  

However, the link with aggression was ”˜strong and consistent’, even when factors such as the number of sweets eaten, socio-economic status, domestic violence and the mother’s mental health were taken into account.  

Researcher Shakira Suglia said that she was not able to prove that the soft drinks were making the children violent.  

For instance, it is possible that health problems that make children aggressive or moody could also create cravings for sugary drinks.

OK so awesome, the researcher couldn’t prove the connection. And what kid is drinking four sodas a day? I’m a terrible Diet Coke addict. Yes, I know how utterly bad it is for me and yes, I will quit the satan juice, and yes, I know, I know. But even though I feel like I consume a large amount of the DC daily, even I don’t drink FOUR a day and I’m a grownup person! Soda is expensive. I have a very hard time believing one in 25 kids of age five drink that may a day. I think drinking that much of anything other than plain water would make me moody and prone to violence too, mainly because I’d be all DON’T WE HAVE ANY MORE BEVERAGES UP IN HERRRRRE?

I guess the takeaway is I find it VERY hard to believe that any moms out there are letting their kids drink this much soda. That’s my total scientific conclusion to this study. Now I have to go conduct a study on whether feeding my cat and dog treats at the same exact time results in them cuddling on the sofa so I can take photos of them. Outcome? UNLIKELY.

(Image: Dundanim/shutterstock)

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