Marketing to Kids

Soda and other sugary drinks are leading promoters of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Sugar-sweetened beverages are the largest source of calories in children’s diets and provide nearly half of their added sugar intake. Drinking just one sugary drink every day increases a child’s odds of becoming obese by 60 percent. With one in three children overweight or obese in the U.S., it no longer makes sense to include sugary beverages as part of meals for young children.

Many of the largest restaurant chains have revamped their kids menus in recent years by removing soda and other sugary beverages to help make healthier choices easier for parents. But Arby’s, one of the largest fast-food chains in the country, has added soda back onto their kids menu and removed its offerings of fresh apple slices. This is a move in the wrong direction. Take action now to urge Arby’s to do better by kids.