June 19/Atlanta/Centers for Disease Control -- One-fourth (24%) of students drank soda, down from 29% in 2009, according to a recently released report from Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Analysis of the National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Study (NYPANS) conducted by CDC results show that daily consumption of regular soda or pop, sports drinks, and other sugar-sweetened beverages is still prevalent in this population--especially among male students and black students. However, it has decreased since the previous year.

Among U.S. high school students in 2010, during the seven days before the survey:

* Nearly one fourth (24.3%) drank a can, bottle or glass of regular soda daily.

* 16.1% drank a can, bottle or glass of a sports drink daily.

* 16.9% drank a can, bottle or glass of another sugar-sweetened beverage daily (e.g., lemonade, sweetened tea or coffee drinks, flavored milk, Snapple or Sunny Delight, but not including soda or pop, sports drinks, energy drinks or 100% fruit juice).

* Nearly two thirds (62.8%) drank any combination of regular soda, sports drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages one or more times per day.

* Almost one third (32.9%) drank any combination of these beverages two or more times per day.

* Male students were more likely than female students and black students were more likely than both white and Hispanic students to drink regular soda or pop, sports drinks, and other sugar-sweetened beverages daily.

Students completed an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire in their classrooms during a regular class period during the spring of 2010. Data from 11,429 students were available for analysis. The school response rate was 82%, the student response rate was 88%, and the overall response rate was 73%.

From the June 20, 2011, Prepared Foods' Daily News.