Business Drink Think
Why Drink Think?
Americans now
Beverage habits have changed over the years. There has been an explosion of new
beverage choices and sizes, both in the supermarket and when eating out. With the
abundance of choices comes the need for multiple Drink Think decisions.
consume nearly
Americans now consume nearly a quarter of their daily calories from beverages.
a quarter of their
daily calories from
beverages.
Researchers have found, over a 37-year period (1965-2002), the number of calories
adults get through beverages nearly doubled. The jump from all beverages amounted
to an additional 222 calories per day! (Duffey K.J. et.al., Obesity, (2007) 15, 2739–2747)
Soft drinks, sports drinks and other sweetened beverages have been a focus of
attention for their potential impact on weight gain. A recent study found liquid
calories do not fill us up in the same way solid foods do. Our bodies do not adjust to
the liquid calories by eating less food so the end result is more calories. (Chen L. Am J
Clin Nutr, (April 1, 2009)
Because people perceive sports drinks as a healthier option, they often drink them
inappropriately. Sports drinks are designed for athletes who are very active for longer
periods of time. In addition, while sports drinks may be slightly lower in sugar, people
tend to drink larger quantities. In addition to sugar intake, like soda, sports drinks are
high in acid which raises concern about dental health.
Soft drinks often replace milk, leading to decreased calcium intake and greater risk for
osteoporosis, a bone disease leading to increased susceptibility to fractures, especially
of the hip, spine and wrist. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, it is
a health threat for 55 percent of people 50 years of age and older. Building strong
bones, especially before age 30, is the best defense against osteoporosis.
This content is provided for informational purposes only. Any reference to other organizations or companies, including their Internet sites, is not an endorsement or warranty of the services,
information or products provided by them.
CIGNA® is a national sponsor of Healthy Kids Challenge, an unaffiliated non-profit organization.
“CIGNA” and the “Tree of Life” logo are registered service marks of CIGNA Intellectual Property, Inc., licensed for use by CIGNA Corporation and its operating subsidiaries. All products and services
are provided exclusively by such operating subsidiaries, including Connecticut General Life Insurance Company and CIGNA Health and Life Insurance Company, and not by CIGNA Corporation.
838950 09/10 © 2010 CIGNA. Some content provided under license.
Business Drink Think
Program Ideas and Tools
The following provides a list of ideas and tools that can be used to engage a workplace creatively in Drink Think.
Changing individual behavior is a challenge. But
by using hands-on displays and working in groups,
individuals can learn, support and encourage each
other, leading to better results for all. Consider
introducing friendly competition and teamwork in the
Mix Six for Healthy Balance program.
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Make the Mix Six for Better Health Drink Think tips
available to workers.
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Include Drink Think articles in your employee
newsletter. Several options are provided.
Set-up an interactive See What You Sip:
Sugar in Drinks display
Set up a display on a table near the cafeteria or eating
area. Ask worker volunteers to bring sugar, different
sized measuring cups and different sized empty soda
bottles. For the display, measure the amount of sugar
in a measuring cup that would equal the amount in
different bottles of soda, fruit drinks (beverages that are
not 100 percent juice) and sports drinks. Have workers
guess which sugar measurement goes with each drink.
Sugar calculation notes:
– Soda: There are about 10 teaspoons of sugar in
12 ounces of soda and over 2/3 cup of sugar in 36
ounces.
– Fruit and sports drinks: Read the nutrition facts
label for serving size and grams of sugar. Calculate
the teaspoons of sugar per serving using the
following formula: The number of sugar grams ÷
4 grams of sugar per teaspoon = the number of
teaspoons. For example, 16 grams sugar ÷ 4 grams
of sugar per teaspoon = 4 teaspoons of sugar.
Ask participants to estimate the number of ounces of
soft drink they average each week and calculate the
number of ounces they might have in a year. Estimate
the amount of sugar in that yearly amount. Have a
calculator handy! Use .833 tsp of sugar for every ounce.
For a person drinking one 12-ounce can per week, 12
ounces x 52 weeks per year = 624 ounces per year x
.833 tsp sugar per ounce = 520 tsp (almost 11 cups)
sugar per year.
Set-up an Interactive Guess the Drink Size
In the cafeteria, break room, or in another space that
works best for you, set up an interactive beverage size
Drink Think display. Identifying the amount of liquid
held in commonly used glasses and cups serving sizes
will help individuals recognize sugar, fat and caloric
intake from beverages.
Gather different cup and glass sizes, and write the
number of ounces on the bottom of each. Display the
cups and glasses and ask workers to guess the number
of ounces held by each. Challenge workers to guess
the number of ounces held by the glass from which
they normally drink at home. Ask them to measure the
amount of water held by their at-home drinking glass
when they go home to see how closely they guessed.
To determine the number of ounces held by each cup
or glass fill the glasses with water and then pour the
water into a measuring cup.
This content is provided for informational purposes only. Any reference to other organizations or companies, including their Internet sites, is not an endorsement or warranty of the services,
information or products provided by them.
CIGNA® is a national sponsor of Healthy Kids Challenge, an unaffiliated non-profit organization.
“CIGNA” and the “Tree of Life” logo are registered service marks of CIGNA Intellectual Property, Inc., licensed for use by CIGNA Corporation and its operating subsidiaries. All products and services
are provided exclusively by such operating subsidiaries, including Connecticut General Life Insurance Company and CIGNA Health and Life Insurance Company, and not by CIGNA Corporation.
838950 09/10 © 2010 CIGNA. Some content provided under license.
Business Drink Think
Program Ideas and Tools
(Continued)
Think Healthy Hydration – What’s on Your
Desk? Drink Think Challenge.
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Frequently communicate action ideas and
messages during the designated time period.
Develop workplace teams to challenge each other
keep healthier drinks on their desks (or in vehicles
or other places). Give prizes and incentives such as
water bottles, pedometers, cafeteria coupons, healthy
cookbooks or discounts for a gym membership.
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Look at what is available for staff to drink during
the work day.
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Healthy worksite changes – Make water an easily
available choice throughout the work day. Consider
strategically placing water coolers in high-traffic
areas for easier access. Plan for healthy drink
options at meetings.
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Challenge workers to replace higher fat, sugar and
caffeinated beverages with water or low-fat dairy.
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Have participants (or to take the focus off
individuals, make it a team challenge) log their
progress on the chart provided (in the resource
section at the end of this document).
Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Rethink your Drink
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Suggest team members share their weekly
progress.
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutrition/pdf/
rethink_your_drink.pdf
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Place the team results in a central location for all
to encourage each other and celebrate.
This eight-page brochure includes help comparing
calories and offers tips for drinks.
Become a champion for change to encourage
workers to make healthy choices in the
workplace and at home.
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Welcome and encourage healthy change ideas
and feedback.
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Provide employees with Drink Think worksheets to
learn ways to drink a variety of healthy drinks such
as water, low-fat milk and 100 percent fruit juices.
This content is provided for informational purposes only. Any reference to other organizations or companies, including their Internet sites, is not an endorsement or warranty of the services,
information or products provided by them.
CIGNA® is a national sponsor of Healthy Kids Challenge, an unaffiliated non-profit organization.
“CIGNA” and the “Tree of Life” logo are registered service marks of CIGNA Intellectual Property, Inc., licensed for use by CIGNA Corporation and its operating subsidiaries. All products and services
are provided exclusively by such operating subsidiaries, including Connecticut General Life Insurance Company and CIGNA Health and Life Insurance Company, and not by CIGNA Corporation.
838950 09/10 © 2010 CIGNA. Some content provided under license.