Hydrate for Health is all about making healthy drinks, like water, as the best and easy choice for getting hydrated and staying healthy. We’re working with King County organizations and community members who want to take action by making healthy drink choices easy for their staff and the people they serve. Why make a commitment to a healthier beverage environment? Overconsumption of sugary drinks is one of the leading causes of obesity today. The average American consumes about 50 gallons of sugary drinks per year. In King County, over half of adults and one in five children are overweight or obese, increasing their risk of diabetes, hypertension, stroke and depression. Organizations benefit from making healthy choices a priority. They improve the wellbeing and productivity of their staff, and show that the health of their patrons and residents is core to their mission. Why don’t we just educate people about sugary drinks? Education is integral to helping people to change their behaviors, but a key strategy to combat obesity is to combine education with environmental changes that make healthy choices more accessible where we live, work, learn and play. How is it possible to make this change without negatively impacting beverage revenues? Organizations have reduced and eliminated sales of regular soda, energy drinks, sports drinks, juices with added sugar, sweetened coffees and teas, and whole or 2% milk without sustained loss in profits. A well-run education and marketing campaign can help increase the demand for healthy beverages and overall sales. Outreach and marketing increases people’s awareness of their new options while also drawing in new customers that are drawn to the healthy choices. Why commit to a healthy beverage environment?

Why commit to a healthy beverage environment? What are sugary drinks? Sugary drinks are any beverage with an added caloric sweetener. Most provide a large dose of added calories with little to no nutritional benefit. Sugary drinks include non-diet sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened fruit and vitamin drinks and sweetened coffee and tea. Why focus on sugary drinks? What about French fries, candy and ice cream? They are all unhealthy. Sugary drinks contain little to no nutritional value, and are one of the leading causes of obesity. The consumption of sugary drinks is the single largest contributor of calories and added sugars to the American diet. Even though sugary drinks have a lot of calories, they won’t fill you up like the calories in solid food. They are an added layer of extra calories with little to no associated nutritional value. Adults who drink sugary drinks are at risk for high blood pressure, and are at increased risk for diabetes and heart disease. Children (1 to 5 years old) who drink sugary drinks have an % increased risk for cavities. How do marketing and corporate sponsorships affect us? The marketing of unhealthy products is everywhere and targets us where we live, work, learn and play. And unfortunately, children and people of color are more highly targeted and often most affected. Corporate sponsorships can dictate that unhealthy products are highly visible and advertised, and often run against an organization’s healthy mission. The good news is that healthy marketing strategies can help promote healthier beverage options by making them affordable and more accessible. What does a healthy beverage environment look like? There are many different ways your organization can create a healthier beverage environment. These can range from educating staff and increasing access to water, to completely eliminating the sale of sugary drinks. Your organization needs to evaluate your situation and goals to determine your own approach to making changes. A 20 oz. bottle of cola contains 16 teaspoons of sugar-- the same amount in six glazed donuts!

Who else has made a commitment in King County? Seattle Parks and Recreation adopted a 100% healthy vending policy and has seen an increase in revenue from vending machines since the changes took place. YMCA of Greater Seattle adopted healthy food and beverage policies and practices including Seattle & King County’s Healthy Vending Guidelines. Parents have expressed appreciation for the healthier food and beverage options that are available in the vending machines. Seattle Children’s Hospital improved their food and beverage options in all their cafeterias, gift shops and vending machines to become a model of wellness for their patients, families and staff. They conducted market research to inform their decisions and of families surveyed, 64% said they would be more likely to visit the cafeterias if they offered healthier food and beverage options. Alliant Employee Benefits Northwest replaced soda machines with self-service access to flavored sparkling water. As a result employees have expressed gratitude for the change because it has helped them achieve personal goals of cutting back on soda consumption Commit to making the healthy choice easier! Sign up to take the Hydrate for Health Pledge by visiting and completing the pledge form today! Let us know your plans, so we can support your organization and recognize your efforts. Contact: Jennifer Trott (206) Why commit to a healthy beverage environment? Seattle Aquarium Healthy drinks are prominently displayed on the top shelves near eye- level