Soda Consumption Linked To Aggressive Behavior Among Five-Year-Olds

Five-year-olds who drink a lot of soft drinks are more likely to have serious behavioral problems, a new U.S. study has determined. Researchers found a distinct correlation between higher soda consumption – more than one soda a day up to four or five a day – and aggression, attention problems and withdrawn behavior. The researchers acknowledged that they were unable to determine which ingredients in soft drinks –  carbonated water, high-fructose corn syrup, aspartame, sodium benzoate, phosphoric or citric acid, or caffeine – caused the behavior problems. But the association was definite: “Children with higher soda consumption … were more likely to destroy other people’s belongings, get into fights, and physically attack people”.