USDA Chooses DIET "Pop", Soda, Coke, Soft Drinks in the Vending Machines: Op/Ed

soft drink can images courtesy of Coca Cola Company

All throughout WGHS, there are government-specified vending machines filled with a large variety of snacks and drinks, but roughly 90 percent of the items are extremely harmful for the human body, specifically diet sodas.
by Jordan Wolff and Dani Young

All throughout WGHS, there are government-specified vending machines filled with a large variety of snacks and drinks, but roughly 90 percent of the items are extremely harmful for the human body, specifically diet sodas.

Soda is widely consumed by many at WGHS. It’s in just about every drink vending machine in the school, but the majority of the students don’t know that diet soda is more harmful than regular soda. Personally, we, Jordan Wolff and Dani Young, are not fans of diet soda at all. To us, both diet and regular soda have different tastes, with diet being the more unpleasant. Not only is it the taste of diet soda that seals the deal but the effects of it as well. We found that it is scientifically proven that diet soda can increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and dementia, along with developing type 2 diabetes (MedStar Health).

When staff and students at Walnut Grove shared their opinions on diet soda compared to regular, they had a lot to say. “In general, they [diet and regular soda] are not good for you anyway,” explained Coach Abner, who is one of the health teachers at Walnut Grove. He further explained, “at the end of the day, these machines make money for the school, and so obviously what they’re going to put in there is what you guys [students] eat or drink.” Coach Abner believes that if the school is going to “preach about [being healthy], then put healthy stuff in [the vending machines] and see what happens.”

Nurse Bingham knows most about the topic of health and nutrition, more specifically diet soda. She expressed that she is not a fan of diet soda due to its taste and the fact that it contains the artificial sweetener aspartame, which she explained, “Artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, also increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, having a heart attack, stroke, and cancer.” Nurse Bingham later explained that she feels the school should offer both regular and diet, so students have the ability to choose which one they would like to drink, along with the diabetic students being able to drink soda.

Likewise, Shannon Hayes, a sophomore student, dislikes diet soda and thinks “they just aren’t as good as regular soda.” She believes that diet soda can “have really bad side effects in the long run.” When asked about how she felt that the school only offers diet soda in the vending machines but regular sodas in the PBIS store, she said, “I feel like there should definitely be more options vending machine-wise for regular soda… You can’t use money to buy them [regular soda from the PBIS store], so you really only get them if you follow the school.” Shannon understands that diet soda “may be … more enjoyable in the moment, but in like 5-10 years from now, maybe not.”

We wondered why the vending machines offer only diet soda, but the PBIS store run by Mrs. Smith offers regular soda. Mrs. Smith summed it up in one word: “demand.” She further explained, “I’m a marketing teacher… I know my target audience and they want sugar, so I deliver.”

On the other hand, Mr. Allen only offers diet and sugar-free drinks in the vending machines because “[the school has] to follow the smart snack guidelines” that are put in place by the government. Mr. Allen explained that the cafeteria has to follow the same rules and/or guidelines put in place. “They [the cafeteria] would serve other and better things, but they have to follow those nutritional guidelines.” He further stated that it was a federal law, and sometimes government officials will come around and inspect the vending machines. If the school is not following the laws put in place, then the school could be fined.
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Although the diet sodas and zero sugar drinks are harmful to the body due to the chemicals, it’s not Mr. Allen’s choice; instead it is the government’s.

Click here for further information on the USDA's Regulations.