By the fall of 2008, “healthier” beverage options will replace all sugared soft drinks in the Coca-Cola vending machines on campus. Choate did not make this controversial decision; rather, Coca-Cola made the decision for all Coca-Cola vending machines that are available to young adults. The company is complying with a mandate given by the William Jefferson Clinton Foundation “to create a healthier generation of young people,” according to James Yanelli, the Director of the John Joseph Activities Center.

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a part of the Clinton Foundation, created a set of national rules specifying which drinks are permitted at elementary, middle, and high schools. These rules were formulated on the basis that older children can make more informed decisions about their beverages. In high schools, the following drinks will be permitted: water; low-fat or skim milk; 100% fruit juices that have less than 120 calories per every eight ounces; sodas with less than ten calories per every eight ounces; and sports drinks with less than 66 calories per every eight ounces. The portions of these drinks are also limited on the grounds that “schools provide an ideal setting to teach and reinforce the concepts of calorie and portion control,” according to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. Mr. Yanelli explains: “Our goal is to provide students with a variety of options [that comply with the new rules], including Diet Coke, Vitamin Water, and Fresca.”

The decision will change beverage options in many places on campus—since the vending machines in dormitories and day student areas are for student use during the school day, they must also comply with the rules. All Coca-Cola items in the bookstore are included in the mandate, although the Tuck Shop will likely be exempt because student consumption there is mainly an after-school activity. The adult-exclusive vending machines will likely continue to carry sugared drinks on the basis that adults are more health-conscious than high school students.

Many research studies have found that diet sodas such as Diet Coke and Coke Zero might actually be more detrimental to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Artificial sweeteners create the sweet taste of diet sodas. Although speculations about sucralose being a carcinogen and cause of tooth decay are myths, regular sucralose consumption has been linked to weight gain. According to an article in ScienceDaily, rats that consumed zero-calorie saccharin instead of glucose ended up consuming more sugar later. Furthermore, the article explained that the consumption of zero-calorie sweeteners in a way desensitizes the body’s reaction to sweet, high-calorie meals. The body begins to associate sweetness with low calories, and therefore one’s metabolism will stop rising after a high-calorie, sweet meal. Zero-calorie sweeteners also cause the body to crave more real sugar because the body can identify an artificial sweetener.

Some students, such as Katie Kilkenny ’10, who “actually prefer[s] the taste of Diet [Coke],” gave the decision a thumbs-up. Although some of its health claims are questionable, for these students, the addition of Diet Coke to vending machines is not a problem. Kilkenny, among others, is excited about the addition of Fresca to the vending options. She says, “It’s so delicious and fruity. It’s also much more refreshing than diet coke after practice.” Erica Lin ’10 adds, “It’s lighter than normal soda and probably is healthier than diet soda.”

However, some students believe that the guidelines of the mandate might not be as appropriate at Choate as they are in public schools, even though obesity in American children aged twelve to nineteen has doubled since the 1970s. According to Asa Maynard ’10, “Choate students are generally healthy in terms of weight, so I don’t see any reason there is to make them feel bad about their waistlines by demeaning them with diet sodas.”

Several health-informed students, such as Tiffany Chan ’11 and Michelle Nam ’10, were offended that the Alliance did not deem them capable of making their own choices. Nam exclaims, “This is outrageous! They are taking away our free choice between Coke and Diet [Coke]!”

However, the vending machines might not be the cause of health problems at Choate. Several students expressed little feeling about the change, because they have not used vending machines in the first place.